Come Home
by kmccartneyyyy
Summary: Lupin and Darcy are separated once more and they find themselves missing each other more and more each day, even if they won't admit it. Darcy insists that family comes first and Harry begins to wonder if he's done the right thing in separating them...
1. One Too Many Goodbyes

**Hello! I'm glad that the last story is over because I need change. Hopefully, this story will be the best, as it will be the last.. maybe.. (: **

**Anyway, this story is going to be set up a bit differently. First of all, the point of view is changing from first to third. The reason for this is because since Darcy and Lupin aren't going to be together for some of the story, I want to make sure that I'm including both of them in here. It'll be like two stories – Lupin's story and Darcy's story.**

**So this is just the opening introduction to the story. I hope you enjoy it!**

**ONE TOO MANY GOODBYES.**

Saying goodbye proved to be harder than she thought. She was absolutely miserable and wanted nothing more than to stay at the Dursleys', where she would be safe and she wouldn't have to risk her life anymore. Darcy Potter spent most of her time locked in her room, staring at the walls or out the windows silently or reading her father's potions book alone, which didn't bother the Dursleys' at all. Harry tried to stay away from the bedroom, often times sleeping on the floor in the living room or when he did sleep in the bedroom, he took the floor more often that not.

Harry didn't fail to take notice that Darcy was depressed and he tried to act more cheerful around her, desperately wanting her to be her normal, outgoing, happy self again. Darcy tried her hardest to put on a smile whenever she was around her little brother, but it was difficult and she was sure Harry understood quite well, for he had suffered a great loss at the end of the school year as well. She was proud of him for acting like he did; she never could have done it.

Darcy was looking through the many editions of _The Daily Prophet_ that she had stuffed in her trunk, sitting cross legged in the middle of her and Harry's bedroom. She pulled out the Marauders' Map that she kept and her teacher robes. She sorted out the trash from the rest of her stuff and threw all the things she didn't need away – the newspapers and the robes.

In the middle of folding and repacking her clothes, the door opened slowly and quietly. The floor creaked and Darcy jumped. She turned around to see Petunia standing in the doorway. Darcy raised her eyebrows and continued folding her clothes, sorting out some books that she might need to bring.

"Darcy." Petunia said in a hushed voice. She looked around nervously as if she wasn't supposed to be talking to her niece. Darcy turned around again and heard the car door slam outside her open window and Vernon scolding Dudley loudly. Petunia swept over to the young lady in the middle of the floor and patted her shoulder gently with her bony fingers. "I – I don't know where you're going," Her voice was quiet, but still a bit harsh. "But be safe."

"No promises," Darcy whispered.

"You must be angry with me," Petunia continued. Darcy had turned away from her again, listening carefully. "But I assure you, you and your brother are not the only ones who lost someone that night. You look so much like her…"

"I'm sorry for everything I've done to you," hissed Darcy. "You won't have to put up with it for much longer."

Petunia's long fingers grasped Darcy's shoulder and then released her. Petunia turned away, hesitated, and Darcy heard her footsteps get further away as she left. The front door opened and closed, and then she heard the car doors slam again. The engine started and Darcy stared at the window until she could hear the car no more.

New, heavier footsteps were now running up the stairs and Harry appeared in the doorway, exactly where Petunia had stood seconds before. Darcy took her time in packing. Harry had finished the night before, eager to leave the next day.

"You still aren't done?" Harry asked, sounding a bit breathless. Darcy shook her head and Harry glanced at the trash bin in the corner of the room. "Why'd you throw all this out? Your robes -?"

"I won't need them. Why would I travel around in robes?"

"I guess that's fair." Harry noticed that Darcy had packed a lot of Muggle things, but only clothes. As she packed her last pair of jeans in, she placed the Marauders' Map gently on the top, closing her trunk and locking it. Harry suddenly regretting packing his Hogwarts robes and red and gold tie. Darcy had simply thrown her own robes out. "Are you sad?"

"Sad about what?" It was a legitimate question; there were plenty of things for Darcy to be sad about.

"Leaving," Harry replied simply and Darcy shrugged. Harry had taken a seat on the twin bed placed in the corner of the room.

"But I'm still sad."

Harry kept quiet. He had honestly no idea what she was going through. He had to break up with Ginny, but his relationship with her was nothing like Darcy's and Lupin's. They had been on and off for about three years and Lupin was one of her best friends.

Harry was going to be with Ron and Hermione until they finished the mission Dumbledore left them. Darcy could call both of them her friends, but seeing as they were about four years younger than her, she had a hard time confiding in them like she did in Lupin, Tonks – her best friend - or Snape – who had not only betrayed her, but everyone else who trusted him. Her main source of happiness was gone and she was going to be away from the people she loved for a while. Well, the man she loved.

Darcy's heart was heavy with guilt, though. She had caught up with Snape, had the tip of her wand in his back, her brother yelling at her to kill him – but she couldn't and didn't. Part of her wished she had killed him; he had killed Dumbledore, another person who cared deeply about Harry. But the other part of Darcy knew she wasn't going to do it. She would never be able to hurt Snape. Despite what everyone said about him, he was good to her. He helped her, he saved her, he watched over her, and he made sure she was taken care of all the time. How could she kill a man who had done nothing but care about her?

Harry stood up from the bed and it creaked again. He walked over to her and kissed the top of her head. "Darcy," he breathed. "I know what you must be feeling. But what you did at the end of the school year won't just be good for you – you helped Lupin. You don't know what the Death Eaters would do if they found out you two were together."

"I've got to bring this downstairs," Darcy said and she lifted her trunk, dragging it across the bedroom and letting it fall down the stairs, something she would have been murdered for doing if Petunia was still around. Harry bit his lip; she could have used magic, but she didn't. He refrained from saying anything. She and Harry walked into the pink sitting room where his trunk and Hedwig were already sitting. Darcy sighed. The owl that Harry had gotten her in her last year had become sick. She wished she had it back; it would have been a great companion. Darcy sat down on her trunk and breathed out slowly. "Are you ready for this?"

"I've kind of got to be," he told his sister hesitantly. "Are _you_ ready for this?"

Darcy smiled slightly. "Are you scared?"

Harry nodded. "Terrified." He swallowed. "But I've got you and Hermione and Ron."

Darcy stood up again and walked around. She opened up the cupboard under the stairs that Harry used to sleep in. She walked around and touched the wallpaper gingerly with her fingertips. She sighed. Why was she so reluctant to leave this horrible place where she was raised?

Someone suddenly knocked at the door and Darcy turned around and answered it. As she opened it, a large man greeted her with a bone crushing hug. "Darcy!" Hagrid shouted, lifting her off her feet. "Great to see you again! Where's Harry?"

She pointed to the living room and walked Hagrid inside. It wasn't just Hagrid who entered, though. Ron and Hermione followed. Hermione hugged Darcy tightly while Ron, his hands deep in his pockets, placed a light kiss on her cheek. Fred and George came bouncing in next, hugging Darcy at the same time; Bill walked in with Fleur on his arm and Bill hugged Darcy – Fleur kissed both her cheeks. Another red headed man whom Darcy had never met approached her and held out his hand.

"Name's Charlie Weasley," he said with a smile. He was a short, stocky man with large muscles on his arms. "Younger than Bill, but older than Perce. Been in Romania. That's probably why you haven't seen me around before."

Darcy nodded. "Darcy Potter. Older than Harry. I've been at Hogwarts working so that's probably why you haven't seen me around before."

Charlie winked and walked over to Harry to introduce himself. When Darcy looked up towards the doorway again, an even shorter man with a bald head walked up to her. He had an air of arrogance and Darcy raised her eyebrows.

"Mundungus Fletcher," he spoke loudly over the low muttering. "You must be Darcy Potter."

Darcy nodded and he walked away from her.

Mr. Weasley was next to enter, along with Kingsley. She received a handshake from Kingsley and a hug and kiss on the cheek from Mr. Weasley.

She glanced towards the front door again and saw the most familiar color of pink – Tonks had strode into the house, clinging tightly to Lupin's hand, who followed her close behind. Her hair was her favorite shade of bubble gum pink and it was Tonks who met Darcy's eyes first. There was slight pity in Tonks's eyes as she looked at her best friend – or was it ex-best friend now?

Darcy's eyes shifted to Lupin's and they stared at each other for a moment. Lupin had barely changed. His hair was a bit greyer than it had been, but other than that, he looked the same. Darcy, on the other hand, looked tired, as if she had undergone a transformation like Lupin's. Her eyes were dark and a bit sunken in and her skin was pale. Her waist was significantly smaller and Lupin assumed that it wasn't just due to the fact that her aunt and uncle nearly starved her every summer.

"Well, go on!" Charlie boomed over the now silent room. He was staring directly at Tonks. "Tell them the good news!"

Tonks opened her mouth to protest, but everyone nodded for her to continue. Slowly, she held up her left hand and Darcy's eyes flicked to the gold band around her ring finger. "Remus and I are married," she said, smiling. Lupin's smile seemed forced, but Darcy felt her world crash around her. "So sorry you all couldn't come… It was a quiet wedding…"

They would never be together again. Lupin was a married man and Darcy wouldn't dare interfere with that. She didn't dare cry – not in front of everyone. She knew what she was getting into. She already knew that she didn't have to time to care about what Lupin was doing. All that had to wait until Voldemort was dead and the war was over.

Before anyone could say anything more than 'congratulations', Mad Eye had burst through the door. "We'll have time for a cozy catch up later!" he growled and everyone turned to face him. "Since Pius Thicknesse has gone over, we cannot connect this house to the Floo network, place a Portkey here, or Apparate in or out. You're also still under the Trace, Potter –"

"I'm sorry," Harry interrupted. "What -?"

"The charm that detects magical activity around under-seventeens – it's the way the Ministry finds out about underage magic!" Mad Eye continued gruffly.

"So what are we going to do?" Harry asked cautiously.

"We're going to use the only means of transport left to us, the only ones the Trace can't detect. Brooms, Thestrals, and Hagrid's motorbike."

Darcy narrowed her eyes. There were so many flaws in the plan, yet no one had said anything.

"Now, your mother's charm will break under two conditions," Mad-Eye looked at Harry seriously. "When you come of age or you no longer call this place home. You and Darcy are never planning on living together with your aunt and uncle again, yes?"

Both Darcy and Harry nodded.

"Now," he continued, his hands behind his back, his magical eye whirring around the room. "There will most likely be some Death Eaters patrolling the skies. So, we've given several different houses every protection we could think of. They've all got some connection with the Order: my house, Kingsley's place, Auntie Muriel's – you get the point.

"Harry, you'll be going to Tonks' parents house, Darcy, you'll be going to Muriel's. Once you're within the protective boundaries of the protective enchantments we have placed on the house, you'll be able to use a Portkey to the Burrow."

"We're going to different houses?" Darcy asked. "But – won't they only go for Harry when they see him flying around? They won't care about anyone else."

Mad Eye chuckled darkly. "I forgot to mention the key point. There will be eight Harry Potters moving through the skies tonight, each with a companion going to a different safe house."

From inside his cloak, Mad Eye withdrew a flask and Darcy's eyes widened. Harry immediately began to protest.

"No!" Harry shouted. "No way!"

Hermione shrugged. "I told them you'd take it like this."

"If you think I'm going to let everyone risk their lives for me – including my sister, who Voldemort would be _happy_ to kill –"

"Because it's the first time for all of us," Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"This is different! Pretending to be me –"

"Well, none of us really fancy it, Harry," Fred grinned, looking at Darcy quickly. "Imagine if something went wrong and we ended up a specky, scrawny git _forever_."

"Everyone is overage, Potter," Mad-Eye raised his eyebrows. "They're all prepared to take the risk."

"Wait!" Darcy shouted. "I haven't heard this plan before and –"

"But you want to protect Harry, don't you?" Lupin said softly from the corner of the room. Darcy turned around and licked her lips. She nodded, finally defeated and Hermione walked right up to Harry, plucking some hairs from the back of Harry's head.

She dropped them in the open flask that Mad-Eye was holding and he swished it around quickly. "Okay," Mad Eye cleared his throat. "Fake Potters line up, please. All together."

Mad Eye handed the flask to Fred, who passed it to George, to Mundungus, to Fleur, to Darcy, to Ron, and then finally, to Hermione. As Darcy gulped it down, she wanted to throw up immediately. She cringed, along with the others and she felt herself grow suddenly taller, her hair turning jet black and shrinking. She ran her fingers through her new hair and squinted, not seeing right. Darcy looked around saw eight Potters standing around her.

Mad Eye Moody nodded. "For those of you who need smaller clothes, I've got some here and vice versa. Don't forget the glasses. There are six pairs."

Everyone began stripping down quickly, having no problem showing off Harry's body. Darcy, Fleur and Hermione blushed a bit while taking off their bras.

"The pairs will be as follows," Mad Eye exclaimed. "Mundungus, you'll be with me. Arthur and Fred –"

"I'm George!" said one Potter to Darcy's right. "Can't you even tell us apart when we're Harry?"

"Sorry, George –"

"I'm only yanking your wand – I am Fred!"

"Enough messing around!" yelled Mad Eye. "The other one – George or Fred or whoever you are – you're with Remus –" Darcy felt a bit disappointed. "Miss Delacour, you'll be with Bill on a Thestral. Miss Granger with Kingsley, also by Thestral – Ron, you'll be with Tonks and Miss Potter, you'll be with Charlie."

"On a broomstick?" Darcy asked nervously. "Please, couldn't I ride a Thestral? I can't ride a broomstick!"

"I'll take good care of you, Darcy," Charlie smiled, but Darcy wasn't sure. She smiled weakly back at him.

"And you're with me, Harry," Hagrid sighed happily. The real Harry turned around to look at the half-giant. "That all right? We'll be taking the motorbike because broomsticks and Thestrals can't hold my weight, you see…"

"That's great," Harry replied.

Everyone shuffled around to pair up with their companion and Darcy walked up to Charlie. "I'm not a good flier – I hate flying, actually."

"How about this," Charlie began. "You can ride in front and I'll ride in the back. I'll steer and you can defend us if there do happen to be Death Eaters waiting for us up there."

Darcy shook her head. "Still nervous."

"Trust me," said Charlie reassuringly. "I was captain of the Quidditch team when I was at Hogwarts. Do you really think Mad Eye, who knows you can't fly, would put you with an inexperienced flier?"

"I – I suppose not."

"There you have it!"

Over by George, Lupin was staring intently at Charlie, his nerves jangling. He wanted to be with Darcy – he wanted to protect her. George suddenly spoke from the corner of his mouth. "Don't act so jealous." George smirked and Lupin's cheeks flushed a deep red.

Lupin raised his eyebrows to his hairline and stared at the Harry next to him, who was actually George. "What are you going on about?"

"You could be with her right now if you hadn't married Tonks."

"I had to – you don't understand."

"I'm sure. She's like my sister," George said quietly. "And I made her a promise the year you two met each other. I remember it – we were all at the Burrow for Christmas break."

"And what was the promise, exactly?" Lupin looked back at Darcy and Charlie. Darcy was now laughing at whatever the Weasley was saying, but it was odd – he felt a bit uncomfortable watching another Harry.

"If you ever hurt her, Freddie and I would hurt you."


	2. Friends

**FRIENDS.**

"On the count of three!" Mad Eye roared. Darcy looked around at everyone. It was strange seeing so many Harrys' – Fleur was clutching Bill's chest tightly, Hermione's face was pale as she clung onto Kingsley's robes, Mundungus was looking rather bored, Ron glanced quickly at Lupin before holding Tonks's waist, George was looking straight ahead, holding onto the broomstick instead of Lupin, Fred was talking with his father, and Harry was settled into the sidecar of Hagrid's motorbike, Hedwig's cage in between his legs.

Darcy looked at Harry and the two nodded slowly at each other. She had her wand at the ready, one hand holding onto the broomstick. Charlie's built arms were wrapped around her, gripping the broomstick. She felt oddly safe with Charlie holding her. Darcy tried to pretend it was Lupin, teaching her how to fly a broomstick, but her heart sank as she looked at Tonks.

"Charlie?" Darcy whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared."

" – THREE!"

Charlie kicked off the ground and as they soared through the clouds, they were greeted by more than twenty Death Eaters. Charlie's broomstick seemed to go faster and with her one hand, Darcy held on tighter. The cold wind whipped at her face and her eyes began to water. Two spells nearly hit Darcy's head, but she ducked and in a horrible imitation of her brother's voice, she called back, "_Stupefy_!"

Someone had sent a Killing Curse towards Charlie and Darcy and the broomstick lurched. Darcy's stomach twisted. To their left were about four Death Eaters closing in on them.

"_Reducto_!" A big, bright blue light sent the Death Eaters backwards and one fell of their broom. Darcy tried to look around, but she couldn't hear a motorbike's engine running and Hermione was successfully battling the Death Eaters, surprisingly calm.

"Hang on!" Charlie yelled in Darcy's ear. "We're almost there!"

He kept repeating that in her ear, but after the third time, Darcy just nodded and kept fighting off the many Death Eaters that tried to attack her. They flew for what seemed like hours, but what was really only about one hour. Just as they were about to reach Muriel's house, a Death Eater shot a stunning spell at them. Darcy ducked, but as the broomstick began to move all over the place, she realized that Charlie was stunned. "CHARLIE!" she screamed and she could suddenly feel her skin bubbling; her hair was growing longer and redder and she was shortening again.

"It's Darcy!" cried a Death Eater from her right. "_Kill her_!"

Charlie slipped from the broomstick and Darcy grabbed his hand, wrapping her legs around the broomstick, now hanging upside down in the air. Her hand was sweaty and Charlie was slipping. She couldn't hold onto him for much longer… A Killing Curse went right by her face and she could see the safe house… They were flying right over it – right over the protective enchantments…

Darcy closed her eyes and muttered, "Please, God…" She unwrapped her legs and the two began falling straight down, falling through the clouds and getting soaked by all the water… Charlie, being much heavier than she, made them fall faster and as they neared the ground, he opened his eyes with a jolt. They watched the Death Eaters scrambling as they entered the protection of the safe house and Charlie called out her name, wrapped his arm around her and making sure she wasn't going to separate from him in midair. "DO SOMETHING!"

Right before hitting the ground, Darcy waved her wand. "_Arresto Momento_!" she screamed and they stopped short of the grass, falling lightly on it. Darcy laid down for a moment, breathing heavily, shaken up. Her body trembled and her heart was on the verge of bursting.

"Come on," Charlie panted, pulling her up off the ground. He grabbed her shaking hand and ran with her. "The Portkey is going to leave without us in any minute and we can't have that." Darcy licked her lips and noticed how calmly he spoke to her. Was he just as terrified as she was? They almost died! Several times!

They raced into the house and Charlie's old Auntie Muriel pointed to an old shoe that was glowing bright blue. Darcy outstretched her hand and wrapped her fingers around it; Charlie did the same. In three seconds, they were spinning into darkness, her stomach twisting and her lungs failing her. She and Charlie fell onto the dead grass of the Burrow. The glasses she had been wearing had broken and the bridge of her nose and underneath her right eye was bleeding. It was quiet and Charlie and Darcy laid there for a minute, catching their breath, staring at each other. Then, they stood up, brushing themselves off, walking quickly to the Burrow's kitchen. Darcy held onto Charlie's arm, still traumatized about what had just happened.

"Darcy!" Harry exclaimed with relief. Ron was pointing at her. "We thought you guys were dead!" Darcy looked at her brother and smiled a tiny smile.

"Check her! Check her!" Ron shouted and Darcy raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, Lupin's hands came out of nowhere. He shoved and pinned Darcy against the wall, one hand holding her shoulder and his other hand holding his wand, which was being held right under her jaw. Darcy whimpered.

"Hey! Let go of her!" Charlie shouted. "That's the real Darcy right there!"

"Remus, stop it!" Tonks yelled and Lupin lowered his wand and let go of Darcy's shoulder. Her chest was heaving and Lupin ran a hand through his sweaty hair. Everyone was silent and Lupin fell back into a chair. Darcy was still up against the wall, scared out of her wits. Mrs. Weasley ran over to her, checking to see if she was okay.

"I'm sorry, Darcy," Lupin sighed. "But I had to check. We've been betrayed. Voldemort knew we were moving you and Harry tonight and the only people who could have told him were directly involved in the plan. You could have been an imposter."

"None of the Order would have told Voldemort we were moving tonight," she told him bravely.

"Voldemort only caught up with me in the end," Harry interrupted. "He didn't know which one I was in the beginning. If he'd been in on the plan, he'd have known I was with Hagrid from the start."

"Voldemort caught up with you?" Darcy asked sharply. "What happened? How did you escape?"

"I think – Hedwig – Hedwig tried to protect me and they knew it was me," Harry replied. "They must have summoned Voldemort and my wand – it , well – he disappeared as we entered the safe house's protective enchantments."

Darcy looked around. "Where's everyone? Where's Mad-Eye? Mundungus? Where are Mr. Weasley, Fred, and George?"

Tonks looked up at Darcy, fighting back tears. "Mad Eye is dead," Tonks said quietly. "Mundungus took one look at Voldemort and Disapparated. George, on the other hand…"

"What's wrong with George?" Darcy whispered and Mrs. Weasley led her over to the living room. Everyone followed. Fred and Mr. Weasley were crouched down by George, who was lying on the couch. She went over to him and got down on her knees. Darcy gasped and held her hands to her mouth. The left side of George's face was covered in blood and half his ear was missing.

"'Ello, Darcy," George greeted her with a weak smile. "Glad you're back and alive. Everyone was real worried about you, but I knew Charlie would take care of you. Mum, how come Bill and Ron aren't huddled around my sick bed?"

"Who did this to him?" Darcy asked, smiling at George.

"Snape," Lupin replied.

"Snape?" Darcy repeated, standing up and turning to face him.

"He'll be fine, but it's Dark Magic. You can't fix it. The damage is done."

Darcy felt like fainting. Just the thought of Snape nearly killing George made her violently ill. Charlie noticed that she was looking a bit sick and he caught her just as she began to fall back. "Is she okay?" Mrs. Weasley asked worriedly.

"She's just fainted," Charlie explained to the lot of them. He lifted her up in his arms with ease and sighed. "I'll take her to bed."

* * *

><p>That night, Darcy sat up, hearing a creaking noise. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat and she had no idea when she had fallen asleep – or had she fainted? She shook her head and tried to clear her mind. Hermione and Ginny were still fast asleep. Darcy stood up and quietly opened the bedroom door, shutting it silently behind her. She looked to her left and jumped as she saw Ron coming down the hallway, too.<p>

"Did you hear that?" he whispered.

Darcy nodded and they walked together down in silence. The door to the kitchen shut when they reached the bottom floor and headed outside together. Walking away from the Burrow was Harry, his bag over his shoulder. Darcy looked at Ron.

"Going somewhere?" Ron said loudly and Harry stopped, turning around. Ron and Darcy walked up to him.

"No one else is going to die," Harry frowned. "Not for me."

"For you?" Ron asked angrily. "You think Mad Eye died for you? You think Fred took that curse for you?"

"Ron…" Darcy started. She couldn't say much. She knew exactly how Harry felt and didn't want to say anything to upset him. If it were up to her, she would have already been gone, too.

"You may be the Chosen One, but this is a whole lot bigger than that."

"Harry," Darcy sighed. "Come back inside. You've still got the Trace on you – Voldemort would track you down right away. And we've got to stay for the wedding – Bill and Fleur's."

"I – I'm sorry," Harry said grimly. "But I don't care about a stupid wedding, no matter whose it is. I've got to start finding these Horcruxes. The longer we wait, the stronger he gets."

Darcy grabbed his bag and pulled it away from him. She handed it to Ron, who took it and began to walk back to the house already. She touched his scratched up face and shrugged. "Come back inside, Harry. Tonight isn't the night."

* * *

><p>"You're the only ones awake?" Darcy had come running down the stairs, the smell of breakfast filling the air. Sausages, eggs, and sandwiches sounded delicious. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Mr. Weasley, Charlie, and Lupin were already seated at the table; they were all reading the paper and eating.<p>

"Yes," Lupin answered shortly. "Have you seen what the paper has been saying?"

"About me? You don't believe any of it, do you?" Darcy snapped. "You shouldn't. None of it's true."

"Well, some of it's true…" Lupin shrugged and Darcy glared at him.

"I'll be in the bath if anyone needs me." Darcy ran back up the steps.

* * *

><p>It turned out that Charlie was a spectacular friend. He and Darcy were oddly similar and spent most of their time at the Burrow doing chores together, sharing stories of their past adventures. Charlie was interested in hearing all of Darcy's stories, especially the one about the Ministry, which she was happy to retell over and over. He told her she was brave and Darcy greatly appreciated it. She must have told the same stories over and over again, but Charlie said nothing and listened to each one carefully, hearing something new every time she retold a story of her's.<p>

Although Darcy never was really enthusiastic or even remotely fascinated by dragons, Charlie told wonderful stories about Romania and the dragons he took care of. He told her how to anger a dragon, how to calm a dragon, and how to take care of one. He told her about how he was the one who had taken Norbert and he had helped with the dragons during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Darcy was amazed; it took a lot of courage to work with dragons.

She harbored absolutely no romantic feelings for Charlie, but when a Weasley would tease that they were going to get married, Darcy didn't correct them, especially when said in front of Lupin. She noticed that his eyes would meet her green ones, and then he'd looked away quickly, his forehead creasing. Thinking he was jealous, she felt proud and accomplished.

But the truth was, Darcy, for the first time all summer, felt happy. She had an excellent friend and she felt loved and wanted. She was thankful that Charlie was around and thankful that Charlie was just as interested in her as she was interested in him. He'd beam when she came around and he'd tell her odd little facts that she didn't think would serve any purpose in life, but she still enjoyed hearing him teach her.

Mrs. Weasley had also suddenly become suspicious. Harry had told his sister that Ron and Hermione had already been questioned about what they were doing instead of returning to Hogwarts. Harry knew he would be next and then eventually, Mrs. Weasley would make her way to Darcy. Everyone refused to tell – Lupin didn't know, Ginny didn't know, Charlie didn't know. It was only Harry, Darcy, Ron, and Hermione.

Mrs. Weasley was beginning to separate the four. She always had them busy doing different chores by themselves. They hardly ever got alone time except when everyone had gone to bed. At around midnight, Darcy and Hermione would sneak into Harry and Ron's room to talk.

It was one day, while feeding chickens with Darcy, Charlie had the sudden urge to ask. "Darcy?" he said.

"Hm?" she replied almost dreamily, throwing chicken feed all over the ground. To make their chores last longer, Mrs. Weasley had required that everyone do their chores by hand.

"If you're not going back to Hogwarts next year," he began slowly. Darcy wouldn't look at him. "Then where are you going? I've overheard mum a few times talking to dad about it."

"I can't tell you," Darcy answered firmly. "I'm sorry, Charlie, but I'm not supposed to tell anyone."

"Will you be going far away?"

Darcy hesitated, throwing some more feed around. "I think we might."

"Somewhere dangerous?"

She hesitated again. "I think so."

Charlie stopped there. He knew she wasn't going to talk anymore about it. "Can I ask another question, Darcy?"

"Sure."

"What's up with Remus? You two act as if you hate each other, but Fred and George told me that they were thinking up the best plan to get him back for what he did to you…" Charlie said and Darcy looked up at him with a small smile. She sure did love those twins. "What exactly did he do to you?"

"He was my Defense Against the Dark Arts professor during my final year at Hogwarts. He went to school with my parents, so we'd talk about them, and I fell in love with him. But around Christmas, we came here, and Fred and George found out about our relationship and said that if he ever hurt me, they would hurt him."

"How did he hurt you, exactly…?"

Darcy smiled. Wasn't it obvious? She was glad that he didn't say anything about their student-teacher relationship. "Well, we didn't see each other for a whole year after my last year at Hogwarts. So the year after – after Voldemort returned – I went back to school as an intern for Professor Snape so I could stay with Harry. Remus was with Tonks at the time and I was extremely hurt because he promised he'd wait."

"So he left you? Just like that?"

"Just like that," Darcy repeated and then she continued. "Well, at the end of that year, Tonks broke up with Remus and agreed that I needed protection, so he and I got back together. The next year, I was an intern for Professor Slughorn, the new Potions Master. Remus and I fought a lot that year, though. He was angry that I spent so much time with Snape. I was confiding in him things that I had never told Remus and he hated that. Convinced that I was sleeping with him, but I wasn't. Snape just kept me so grounded and Remus was just as scared as I was, I think. That's why I never told him anything. But we stuck it out and at the end of that year, I had to leave him because of what I'm going to do this year. He said he would always love me, but when he showed up the other night at my house, married to Tonks – that really hurt me."

"I'm sorry," Charlie said quietly. "I had no idea."

Darcy shrugged. "You were in Romania. Of course you had no idea."

Charlie licked his lips. "You say you were close to Snape?"

"Closer to him than most people, I guess." Darcy tied up her bag of chicken feed. "Why do you ask?"

"What kind of stuff did you tell him?"

"Loads. I told him everything. But why?" She was becoming nervous.

"Snape's a bad guy. Haven't you thought about how he could use you?" Charlie asked, raising both eyebrows. Darcy shook her head slowly, still confused. "If you told him valuable information, he could relay everything to You-Know-Who. He could take you away, Darcy, because he knows that if he has you, Harry would come running to save you. And when Snape had Harry, as well, he could hand you both over to You-Know-Who."

Darcy hadn't thought about that at all. Now that Charlie had brought it up, she was absolutely terrified, but part of her didn't think Snape would do it. Snape didn't kill her while she was defenseless. There were plenty of chances he had to take her away to his master. Snape could have taken her away at the end of the year, while no one was watching. But the thought of Voldemort using her to get to Harry scared her more than anything. "I don't think Snape would do that," Darcy admitted softly. "I trust him."

Charlie sighed. "He killed Dumbledore, Darcy."

"You didn't see it happen that night. You didn't see Snape's face. There was something going on that night and I don't know what it is, but I still trust Snape. I trust him to the end of the Earth." Charlie watched as she scrunched her nose and tears filled her eyes. "And he might not have considered me a friend, but he was mine. He was the one person who listened to me."

"I didn't mean to upset you."

"Don't – you didn't mean to, Charlie."

"You're my friend," Charlie said with a straight face. Darcy smiled at him through tears and she wiped her eyes. "You can trust me with everything. I'm not switching sides."

"You're my friend, too," Darcy told him happily.

Charlie and Darcy just stood there, looking at each other for a moment. "I know you may feel really alone after what happened with Remus and Tonks and Snape, but I just want you to know that we all love you. Everyone that helped rescue you and Harry would do anything to protect you. You have friends, Darcy. Don't you forget that."

* * *

><p>Darcy was instructed by Mrs. Weasley to catch the garden gnomes and toss them from the yard. She reluctantly accepted, only when Mrs. Weasley told her that Charlie was to be helping her as well.<p>

Lupin was taking a break from his chores, which weren't many. He sat out under a large tree in the front yard, reading the _Daily Prophet_, watching Darcy furtively from over his paper. Her long auburn hair was tied up in a ponytail and she had a headband on. Sweat had formed on her forehead and she went to wipe away the sweat on her cheeks, but her hands left dirt on her skin. Her t-shirt sleeves were rolled up, still covering her shoulders, and Lupin wanted nothing more than to ravish her on the spot.

Charlie grabbed a gnome and held it tightly, his arm muscles glistening with sweat. Darcy watched as he spun around with the gnome in his hands and then let go. The gnome went flying and Darcy laughed. She tried the same thing; she grabbed a gnome, but it writhed around in her arms and bit her wrist. She yelped and Lupin flinched, about ready to go up and help her, but she held onto it tightly, falling to the ground, and punching it in the head. Charlie grabbed his stomach, laughing loudly and Lupin looked away.

"I think mum expects us to get married," Charlie grunted as he flung another gnome out past the fenced in yard of the Burrow. Darcy kicked a gnome in the side of the head and picked it up, throwing it as far as she could.

"Why do you say that?" she laughed.

"Because when mum hated Fleur, she always made sure Bill and Tonks were together," Charlie explained, taking a short break and putting his hands on his hips. Darcy crossed her arms. "She hoped they'd get married instead. Here, let me see your wrist."

Darcy held out her dirty, bleeding wrist and inspected it. "Is it bad?"

"Just a gnome bite. Ron's gotten tons – ask him to show you the scar on his ankle from last summer," Charlie said, running his finger over the teeth marks.

"Scar?"

"Nah, not this one," Charlie reassured her. "This one isn't bad. The one gnome really sank his teeth into Ron. Ah, check this out."

Proud to show off his scars, Charlie pulled away from Darcy and lifted his shirt, showing his cut stomach and a long, horizontal scar on his ribcage. Darcy sucked in a deep breath and bit her lips. "What's that from?"

"The Hungarian Horntail that we used for the Tri-Wizard Horntail a few years back attacked me – scratched me and I wouldn't stop bleeding," he said and Darcy stared at it. It looked just like the scars on her shoulders. "But we got a Healer who stopped it and it looks pretty badass now, you think?"

"Yeah," Darcy breathed and he rolled his shirt down. Her green eyes met the blue and he smiled at her.

"Do you have any scars?"

"Oh, yes. But I – I don't know if I should show them…" She knew that Lupin was trying to watch discreetly – she could see him looking. Licking her lips, she touched her sleeve and rolled it up to reveal her right shoulder. The three long scratch marks looked more profound in the bright sunlight and Charlie ran his fingers over them.

"What're they from?" he asked quietly.

"Um…" she hesitated. "In my seventh year, I – well, I followed Remus outside during a full moon and I encountered him and he forgot to take his potion and this – this happened…"

Lupin's blood boiled with hatred as he watched Charlie touch the scars on Darcy's shoulder.

"He still hasn't forgiven himself," whispered Darcy. "But I don't mind. He wasn't himself that night and I understand that." She covered her sleeve and when she looked back up to look at Lupin, she realized that he was gone.


	3. Apologies

**APOLOGIES. **

Darcy was sitting in her bedroom with Hermione. It had to be close to midnight. They were going through books, deciding which to bring with them while they hunted for Horcruxes. Darcy threw _Quidditch Through the Ages_ to her left and held up _Hogwarts: A History_. "Should we bring it?" she asked Hermione.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and thought. "Put it in the middle of the two piles. It'll be a maybe." Darcy nodded and placed it on the ground. "_Ancient Rune Translation_. Now that's a yes."

"How about this? I kept it from my seventh year and since you three aren't going back…" Darcy showed Hermione _Standard Book of Spells: Grade Seven_.

"Definitely. We could always learn some new magic," Hermione answered, tossing _A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration_ in the 'no' pile.

"_Advanced Potion Making_?" Darcy asked, a bit bored. "I wasn't sure if we'd need any potions."

Hermione considered it, but then shook her head. "You took the N.E.W.T. course. Any potions we'll need, I'm sure you'll be able to brew. Besides, I don't have a cauldron or ingredients to bring."

"True," Darcy said, throwing the small book aside. "_Confronting the Faceless_? Yes?"

"You kept that book?" Hermione snapped. The door was shut and locked, a spell cast over it so no one would hear them. "That book is evil! Snape –"

"I _know_ Snape gave it to you," Darcy sighed. "I started reading it because if we're going to go after You-Know-Who, we might as well read up on Dark Magic, right? So we know what we're up against?" She looked at Hermione and saw her shrug. Hermione picked up a book and she looked at Darcy, trying to hide the book from her. "Hey! What's that?" Darcy grabbed the book from Hermione's hands and flipped through it gingerly.

"Darcy – don't!"

"And you said my book was evil! Hermione, where'd you get this?" Darcy fell upon a page. The title read, in big black letters: _Horcruxes_. "Hermione… how did you get this?"

"Well, at the end of our sixth year, I held out my wand and said, 'Accio Horcrux book' and it came," Hermione replied.

"This shows how to create a Horcrux…" she flipped a page. "And destroy it – Hermione you're amazing! Keep this! We'll definitely need it!" Darcy closed the book. "You surprise me sometimes. It's a little scary."

* * *

><p>"Hey," said a voice from the doorway. Darcy was seated in an armchair, reading <em>Curses and Counter-Curses<em>. Lupin was standing in the archway and his eyes flicked to the cover of the book and back to Darcy's.

"Hello," she replied, closing her book, but holding her finger in place. Lupin moved swiftly to the couch and sat down, biting down on his lip.

"I was scared to be alone," he whispered to her, sounding a bit desperate. "I thought you didn't want me anymore and I was scared to be by myself."

"So you went out and got married?" Darcy asked, raising her thin eyebrows. She shook her head. "You don't do that. You don't tell me that you love me and then get married. You keep promising me that you'll wait, but you can't keep those promises. I don't know why that's so difficult for you."

Lupin looked at her seriously, his heart pounding. His brain whirred in his head, trying to think of something reasonable to say.

"I would do anything to go back to my last year at Hogwarts," she told him quietly. "You don't realize that I _had_ to break up with you. You don't understand and I don't think you will."

"Then help me understand, Darcy," he pleaded. "You don't think I'll understand anything that you think, so you just don't tell me. I'm a bit more understanding than you make me out to be."

"You don't understand," she said again. Lupin breathed in deeply and let it out slowly. Darcy couldn't think of any other way to say it. "I can't tell you. I want to tell you, but I can't."

"Why not?"

Darcy shook her head. "I promised. No one else knows, Remus, and I'm sorry, but I can't tell you." She swallowed. "I can't tell anyone."

"Should I be worried?" he asked. "Should I be worried that I'll never see you again?"

Darcy was fidgeting and Lupin noticed. She was obviously uncomfortable and trying hard to think of things that she could say that wouldn't give away too much. "I don't know," she breathed. "I know that you would maybe understand, but I can't tell you. I cannot tell anyone."

"And who told you that you aren't allowed to tell anyone?"

"Dumbledore."

Lupin's eyes widened and he nodded. "I understand." He looked at the ground for a moment. "Why'd you show Charlie your scars? You know how I feel about them."

"Remus, it's nothing," she tried to explain to him. "He showed me one of his scars and –"

"Still, it's hard for me to see you show them off like you're proud of them!" Lupin argued. Darcy frowned. "It kills me to see them! It hurts me to remember how I hurt you."

Neither one could say anything more. They avoided eye contact and Darcy went back to reading her book. Lupin stood up and walked away.

* * *

><p>"Okay," said George, a bandage wrapped around his head. He and Fred had pulled Darcy into their bedroom. On one of their beds was an assortment of pranks. "You get to pick which one we use against Remus."<p>

"We would have just used all of them," Fred continued. "But we thought that would be a little extreme."

"What are they?" Darcy asked with a smile.

"This is a Boxing Telescope," George grinned, pointing to a box. "When it's squeezed, a little fist comes out and it punches you."

"Gives you a nasty black eye – tricky to remove," Fred chuckled. "We have a paste that'll take it away in an hour, but Remus doesn't need to know that."

"We've also got anything from the Skiving Snackbox," George said again.

"Slip one into his food." Fred began to list the items off. "Puking Pastilles, Fainting Fancies, Fever Fudge, and Nosebleed Nougat. This here is Ton-Tongue Toffee."

"It'll turn his tongue purple and it'll swell up," George cackled. "Of course, here is the U-No-Poo. I think you know what that does."

"And the last thing we've got is a love potion," Fred pointed to a small, pink bottle. "We'll use it on Remus to make him fall in love with _anyone_ you want. It could be you – to make Tonks jealous – or it could be someone else… say…."

"Ron?"

"Bill?"

"Dad?"

"Mum?"

Darcy laughed. "You don't really have to do this, you know."

"Ah, Darcy," George threw an arm around her. "We thought you liked our pranks. Surely you'd want to see one work on the man who hurt you the most…?"

Darcy smiled and chewed on her bottom lip. It was cruel and immature… but she was allowed to have fun, too. She picked up the first box. "Do these work well?" she asked, inspecting it carefully. "And how will we get him to squeeze it so it'll punch him?"

"Well, when do you want it to happen?" Fred asked.

"Tonight? Preferably as soon as you can?" Darcy suggested and the twins smirked at each other, chuckling, and leaned in close to Darcy to plan.

* * *

><p>Fred, George, and Darcy poked their heads around the corner. Lupin was sitting with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, reading the <em>Daily Prophet <em>and drinking lemonade that Mr. Weasley had made the Muggle way, without magic. Fred nodded to George and the twin missing part of his ear stepped out into the kitchen. Everyone looked up.

"Mum, dad?" George asked and Mrs. Weasley hummed in response. "Can you help me? I can't quite decide what to wear for Bill's wedding."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sighed and stood up, following George upstairs to his room. Fred and Darcy ducked behind a couch and waited until the three Weasleys were out of sight before hiding back behind the wall. Darcy smiled as Fred walked over to the sink with his Boxing Telescope in plain sight.

"Damn this thing…" he put it up to his eye, careful not to squeeze it, and he looked out the window as if he could see. "Can't see a bloody thing…"

"What is it?" Lupin asked and Fred turned around and gently held up the telescope.

"I'm trying to spy on the Lovegood's house, but I can't see. I think it's broken."

"Let me see it," Lupin said, holding out his hand. Fred walked slowly over to him and held out the telescope. Lupin took it gingerly in his hands and then tightened his grip. Immediately, Fred ran back towards Darcy and what looked like gunpowder exploded from the telescope and a fist came out of the lens, punching him right in the left eye.

Lupin let out a yell and he shut his eyes tight, falling backwards on his chair. He dropped the telescope and held his eye with his hand. "Damn!" Lupin, his eye now throbbing, sat up and as he turned around to catch Fred from running away, he saw the faintest glimpse of dark auburn hair turning the corner and running. He sighed.

* * *

><p>"Good God, Remus!" Mr. Weasley shouted as he came back down the stairs. "What happened to your eye?"<p>

Lupin shrugged. "Accidentally picked up one of Fred and George's Boxing Telescopes," he replied calmly. "Had no idea what it was. Bit foolish of me to be touching their stuff randomly."

"I thought you knew better than that," Mr. Weasley chuckled, but Mrs. Weasley gave him a stern gaze.

"If I were you, I'd force them to apologize for that," Mrs. Weasley told him. At that moment, Darcy walked back into the kitchen, grabbing a glass from a cabinet and filling it with water. She glanced quickly over her shoulder and saw that Lupin was looking right at her. She averted his eyes and her cheeks turned red. Lupin traced the lip of the glass that he had been drinking from and smiled shyly to himself.

"It's no big deal," Lupin replied looking back down at the paper in his hands. "I'll talk to them later about fixing it. I'm sure they've got something for my black eye."

Darcy locked eyes with him once more, drank her water, and then left the kitchen. Lupin swallowed and sighed and heard her light footsteps climb the creaky, wooden stairs.

Mrs. Weasley chewed the inside of her cheek and looked sadly at Lupin. "I never pegged you as that kind of man," she said and Mr. Weasley took that as his cue to leave. Lupin looked up at her and raised his eyebrows.

"What kind of man?" asked Lupin.

"The kind that goes around breaking innocent girls' hearts."

"Please, don't…" he said quietly. Lupin closed his eyes. "I know what I did wrong, but if I apologize – it's the best I can do. I can't change anything and I know that she'll never forgive me. I messed up. I messed up bad."

"Remus," Mrs. Weasley began, touching his hand gently. "That poor girl has lost more in her lifetime than most. And what she went through last year – Dumbledore and Snape and Tonks and _you_. You are her family and if you apologize to her sincerely, she _will_ forgive you."

"What do I apologize for?" Lupin snapped, but then shook his head and muttered an apology to Mrs. Weasley. "Do you want me to tell her I'm sorry for getting married? I'm not going to apologize for falling in love."

"You don't have to apologize for falling in love. You _should_ apologize for hurting her. If you say you're sorry, she'll have one more person in her life that she believes genuinely cares about her."

"Oh yes," Lupin rolled his eyes. "The same way that Darcy thought Severus cared about her."

"Severus _did_ care about her, I don't care what you think," Mrs. Weasley protested. "And you need to apologize for all the hassle you gave her about it. You tried to convince her that Snape didn't care about her the same way Tonks tried to convince her you didn't love her."

Lupin licked his lips and stood up, folding the paper into fourths and placing it back on the table. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and began to climb the creaky stairs to find Darcy. She was currently in her own bedroom, folding Harry's jeans and packing her and her brother's clothes in Hermione's small bag, which she had used an Undetectable Extension on. Lupin reached her door and opened it without knocking and caught Darcy stuffing some of her jeans in the bag. He sighed.

"What are you doing?" he asked, watching her close the bag and shove it under the bed.

"Nothing," she replied quickly. She examined his black eye.

"Where are you going?"

Darcy hesitated. "You know that I'm leaving. I just don't know when yet. No one does."

"Does Charlie know?"

"That I'm leaving?"

"Yes."

"Yes, he knows," Darcy said, standing up. Lupin was frozen in the doorframe and they stared at each other. "Everyone knows. They've figured it out. That's why Mrs. Weasley is constantly separating us, so we can't plan. I thought someone as smart as you could have figured that out by himself. It's hard to plan now, thanks to her."

"But you do it anyway."

Darcy nodded. "We've got to."

Lupin grinded his teeth. "Are you going to be in danger while you're away?"

"It's no vacation," Darcy answered with a nervous laugh. "If that's what you're thinking. Besides, when am I not in danger? I've got to stop running away from it. I just have to face it sooner or later."

"So you're going after Voldemort?" he said in a accusatory tone.

Darcy's eyes widened and she faltered. "No, I – I was talking about something else."

Lupin nodded coolly, somewhat believing her.

"Just let it go, Remus. It's between me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. If I could tell you –" She paused. "I would." Although, they both knew that to be a lie. Darcy didn't know who she could trust anymore and after Lupin had abandoned her for Tonks, it was difficult for Darcy to want to forgive him in the first place.

"I wanted you to know that I'm sorry, truly sorry for everything I've done to you in the past." Darcy eyed him carefully, raising her eyebrows almost to her hairline. She sat down on her bed and tucked her legs underneath her. Lupin blinked a few times, expecting her to forgive him after that, but it seemed she was still waiting for something. He was confused; normally, she would have already taken him back and been throwing herself at him, crying and begging to stay friends. "And er – I'm behind you one hundred percent no matter what you do or where you go."

"I don't know what you want from me," Darcy told him very slowly. "But if you expect me to forgive you after everything you've done to hurt me, then you're wrong. You've apologized to me for the same things so many times and I've eagerly taken you back, but I'm not going to forgive you so easily this time. I can't forgive you when I know that you're just going to hurt me again."

"But I won't –"

"How? You're married, Remus. You can't seriously be apologizing for getting married. If you are, you must not really love Tonks."

Lupin pulled his hands from his pockets and raised his voice. "Don't you dare tell me that!" he shouted and Darcy jumped, not expecting him at all to yell at her. "Don't you dare tell me that I don't love my own wife! Of course I love her! That's very well why I married her!"

Darcy stood up and swallowed loudly. "Don't you remember what you told me?" she snapped at him just as loudly. "You told me you loved me and that you'd wait! I should have known you would just make a fool of me again! But in front of everyone! After all that I had lost, you still had to humiliate me further by marrying my best friend! That's low! It's low and shallow and hurtful and mean and just _pathetic_!"

Lupin seemed to relax. "I assure you, making a fool of you was not my intention. You already proved yourself one after trusting Snape. In no way was my marriage part of your humiliation."

"Don't you dare drag Snape into this!" Darcy retaliated quickly. "He had nothing to do between us two!"

Lupin threw his head back and groaned. "Come on, Darcy. Everyone knows it and everyone thinks it, but no one wants to say it. It was daft of you to trust Snape. You should have killed him when you had the chance."

"Have you ever killed someone before? Someone you care about?" Darcy said coldly, looking away from him and out the window. "That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do – stand there with my wand in his back. Even if I had managed to cast the spell, it wouldn't have worked."

"Why not?"

"You've got to mean it when you want to kill someone," she explained harshly. "I didn't want to kill Snape. That was the very last thing I wanted to do!"

"You still should have done it."

"Don't come in here telling me what I should have done," Darcy growled. "Killing Snape wouldn't have stopped anything! Maybe George would have had his ear back, but if I had killed Snape, it would just give Voldemort and his Death Eaters all the more reason to kill me, yeah?"

Lupin was quiet as he stared at Darcy. "I'm sorry," he whispered and before Darcy could respond, he had left.


	4. The Promise

**THE PROMISE.**

"No," Darcy sighed, going through her cards and looking up at Ron. "I've already got enough Dumbledore's. Try again."

"Gringott?" he asked desperately. Darcy shuffled through her Chocolate Frog cards again. "Come on, I really want that Cyprian Youdle!"

Darcy smiled. "Yeah, here you go." Ron and Darcy switched their cards and then put them away.

"How did you even get that card? You don't even like Quidditch."

"I just got lucky," she laughed. "I eat a lot of Chocolate Frogs, you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Wanna play Exploding Snap?"

"Yeah," she said. "Go get your cards."

"Go ask Charlie if he wants to play," Ron told her as he stood up. "He loves Exploding Snap and he's not that bad at it."

Darcy chuckled again. "Okay." She stood up and starting yelling, "Charlie! Charlie?" Darcy heard someone moving about in the kitchen and went to check to see if it was Charlie. It wasn't; in fact, it was Lupin and they ran into each other. Lupin nearly knocked her over. "Oh, I'm sorry. You're not Charlie."

They both stared at each other, awkwardly close together, until Charlie came bounding down the creaky, wooden staircase, beaming. "You called?" Charlie said nervously, looking from Darcy to Lupin.

"Yes," Darcy said quickly and she looked at the red headed man. "Ron and I were going to play some Exploding Snap and Ron said you're rather good at it. Want to play?"

"I'd love to," Charlie answered with a grin and he strolled into the sitting room. Darcy looked at Lupin one more time.

"Do you mind if I play a round, too?" Lupin asked her quietly. "Or can't we be friends anymore?"

"I – I guess you could play a round or two…"

Darcy and Lupin walked into the sitting room and Darcy took a seat next to Charlie. Ron came down and sat on Darcy's other side, Lupin on his right. Ron cleared his throat and then put down his Self-Shuffling Cards and let them do the work.

It turned out that Lupin hadn't gotten any better at Exploding Snap and everyone kept laughing when the cards would explode in his face. Charlie was so good that Ron and Darcy planned together, flicking their wands while he wasn't looking to force the cards to explode. Everytime Lupin would flash Darcy a smile, her stomach was twist and turn and she'd smile right back at him. Charlie noticed it and quickly nudged her and began to ask her questions and talk about nonsense, which Darcy answered eagerly. Ron beat Darcy by two points, Charlie by five, and Lupin by ten.

While Ron went upstairs to talk to Harry, Lupin turned to Darcy. "Hey, Darcy –"

"Darcy!" Charlie yelled over Lupin. Startled, Darcy looked at Charlie and raised an eyebrow. Charlie fought for something to say and pursed his lips.

"What is it?" she laughed. Lupin frowned and his forehead creased.

"Do you want to see what I'm wearing for Bill's wedding?"

"Oh, I'd love to."

"You can show me what you're going to wear, too…"

Charlie and Darcy walked up the stairs together and Lupin couldn't help by feel a little bit jealous. He sank back into an armchair and scowled as he heard Darcy's laugh from the floor above. He knew he shouldn't have been jealous; Charlie was around Darcy's age and a very handsome man. He had a good job and could provide for Darcy.

Lupin shook his head and sat up. Why was he thinking about that? Charlie and Darcy had known each other for three days and didn't show any romantic intentions towards each other – unless showing her what he was going to wear was supposed to mean something else?

Then it hit him.

Charlie was trying to keep Darcy away from him. The fact that Charlie didn't want Darcy near him upset him more than it should. Had Darcy told him everything? He never told her not to… It wasn't like it was a secret. It was never really a secret at all. Lupin sighed and rubbed his temples.

* * *

><p>"I love that color."<p>

Darcy held up Charlie's purple tie and grinned. "I guess it's alright for girls, but not for someone as man as me," Charlie said. "Bill's suit is going to be that color, so we compromised. I just have to the wear the purple tie." He watched as she folded his suit and then placed his tie upon it. "What color is your dress?"

"Do you want to see?" she asked him with a broad smile.

"Sure, I do."

"Okay, come here." Darcy led Charlie out of his room and into her's, where she pulled out a nice box from under her bed and then opened it to reveal a black, strapless dress that would come to about her knees. It was plain, not too fancy, but it was beautiful.

"I like it," he told her honestly.

"Don't you love it? I bought it a while ago with some money I saved up, but I never got to wear it. Petunia and Vernon never let me out of the house, so there was never really anywhere to wear it to." She held it up and admired it. "I bought it with Muggle money."

"You should tell my dad that," Charlie said. "He'd get a real kick outta it. He'd ask you a bunch of questions about how you pay for it and what sorts of coins you used."

"I'm sure he would," Darcy agreed and they both laughed. She stopped laughing, but she still wore a huge smile. "Do you want to be my date for the wedding?"

"Your date?"

"Just as friends, of course."

"Yes, I would love to be your friend date to Bill's wedding." Charlie beamed. "But I believe that since _I_ am the man, _I _should be the one to ask you." Darcy simply laughed. "Would you like to be my _friend_ date to the wedding?"

Darcy smiled at him. "You're the nicest guy I've ever met," she shook her head slowly. "You know that?"

"I am?" he repeated, chuckling. "No, I'm sure there are nicer people out there than me."

"Charlie," she said seriously, laying her dress gently on her bed and crossing her arms. "You're trying to keep me away from Remus. Isn't that right?"

"Well, I –" he sighed. "He hurt you! You shouldn't have to be around him!"

"And I want to thank you," she grabbed his hand and squeezed it for a second, and then let go. "I don't think anyone realizes how hard it is for me."

"I don't really know what you're going through," Charlie admitted, but that didn't wipe the smile off her face. "I can only guess. And I bet it sucks, but it'll get better." That made her frown.

"Maybe."

Charlie sat down with her on her bed. "What do you mean?"

"Charlie, I'm leaving soon. You know that," Darcy sighed. "And I don't know if I'll ever even see him again." Her eyes met his. "I might not see _you_ again."

He frowned and looked her over. "Darcy, you're a strong girl. I'm sure that no matter where you're going to go or what you're going to do, you'll make it back alive and we _will_ see each other again. I'll take you to Romania sometime and show you the dragons."

Darcy, who normally wouldn't care about seeing dragons, chuckled and nodded. "Do you promise?"

"Yes! Of course I promise."

"I'll hold you to it." She held out her pinky and Charlie stared at it, obviously confused, tilting his head slightly. He laughed. "It's a pinky promise. C'mon, give me your pinky."

Charlie held out his pinky and Darcy wrapped her's around his. "That's it? Is it like an Unbreakable Vow? If we never go to Romania, am I going to die?"

"It's a Muggle thing, Charlie," Darcy snorted. "Nothing will happen to you if we don't go. Although, I might be a bit upset."

"Ah, Muggles."

* * *

><p>Mrs. Weasley cornered Darcy shortly before dinner that night as she was folding Harry's laundry. She shut the door and the two of them were cramped together in the tight space. Darcy awkwardly folded one of his shirts and then reached for a pair of his old jeans.<p>

"Ron, Hermione, and your brother think that they're going to be dropping out of Hogwarts this year," Mrs. Weasley boldly stated, placing her hands on her hips. She took up most of the space in the small closet and when Darcy reached for more clothes, she bumped Mrs. Weasley in the stomach. Darcy tried not to make eye contact as she slowly folded one of Ron's shirts.

Darcy shrugged. "Well, yes, er – they are, actually."

"May I ask _why_ they are abandoning their education?" Mrs. Weasley was turning red in the face and Darcy licked her lips and matched up some miscellaneous socks. She knew Mrs. Weasley figured it was partially her fault – Darcy was the one who had suggested to the trio to drop out.

"Well, Dumbledore left Harry and me stuff to do…" she stammered. "And Hermione and Ron know about it and they're coming, as well."

"What sort of 'stuff'?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, I can't –"

"Well, frankly, I think Mr. Weasley and I have a right to know! Mrs. and Mr. Granger as well!"

Mrs. Weasley and Darcy locked eyes for a moment and then Darcy pulled out one of Hermione's shirts. "Dumbledore didn't want anyone else to know," Darcy told her firmly. "I'm sorry, Ron and Hermione don't have to come – it's their choice."

"I don't see that you have to go! Or Harry!" she snapped. Darcy jumped and focused on folding the laundry. "They're barely of age and you are still just a child! It's utter nonsense! If Dumbledore needed work doing, he had the whole Order at his command! Darcy, you must have misunderstood him. Probably he was telling you something he wanted done, and you took it to mean he wanted you –"

"I didn't misunderstand," Darcy said flatly, wanting to protest about Mrs. Weasley calling her a child. She held her tongue. That was one thing she learned from Snape. "Harry and I must be the ones to do it and Hermione and Ron are coming."

"And does Charlie know?"

"No, I told you, I can't tell anyone about what I'm doing."

"And what about Remus? I assume you've told him?"

"No!" Darcy said rather loudly, but she apologized for her sharpness. Separating Harry and Ron's clothes and Hermione's on top of the dryer. Her hands were shaking; she didn't want to argue with Mrs. Weasley. "No one knows except for me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and it'll stay that way. I am terribly sorry, but you cannot know!"

Mrs. Weasley nodded slowly and looked sadly at Darcy. The latter raised her wand at the two stacks of laundry and they floated into the air. The two women walked out of the laundry room and the stacks of clothes followed Darcy up the stairs.

* * *

><p>The whole Order joined the Weasleys for dinner, the Burrow now being headquarters. Everyone was too close for comfort and because another chair couldn't fit around the table, Charlie and Darcy had to sit on one enlarged chair, making it difficult for them to eat. Everyone was too close for comfort, shoulder to shoulder and Charlie could hardly cut his chicken without elbowing Darcy in her ribs, apologizing after she'd grunt.<p>

"Any news about Mad-Eye?" Darcy asked no one in particular.

Bill replied, "Nothing."

As everyone went on and on about the Ministry hiding the fact that Voldemort was killing random wizards and witches, Mrs. Weasley finally got fed up with it and yelled for them all to stop. The whole table went quiet and stared at the pump, red headed and red faced witch at the end of the table, squeezed next to her husband and Tonks.

"Is that really appropriate dinner conversation?" she huffed loudly. "Please."

"This _is_ an Order meeting," Fred said. "This is Headquarters now. If we were eating at Sirius's old place, this would be very appropriate conversation."

"Well said, Freddie," George added. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

Harry continued, talking directly to Mr. Weasley. "Hasn't the Ministry said anything about all that underage magic I used the other night to get here, though?" Harry asked. Mr. Weasley shook his head. "Because they know I had no choice or because they don't want to tell the world that Voldemort attacked me?"

Charlie grabbed two apple tarts and placed one on his plate and one on Darcy's. She thanked him and smiled. Lupin watched them carefully as they sat awfully close together. Their shoulders were touching and their sides were touching, as well.

"The latter, I think," Mr. Weasley said, but Charlie and Darcy weren't paying attention. They were having their own whispered conversation.

"I heard that you wanted to work for the Ministry before," he whispered, grabbing another apple tart for himself. "As an Auror."

"I did before," Darcy replied softly in Charlie's ear. "But as you can see, that hasn't happened."

"May I ask why?"

"I put my dreams on hold for a certain someone," Darcy said, glancing up at Lupin. She flushed a deep red when she saw that he was staring back at her. "And the Order suggested that I shouldn't work for the Ministry."

"Why? Because You-Know-Who would come after you first?" Charlie finished for her and she nodded. "It's a smart idea, you know. We all want the best for you. There are spies – Death Eaters – inside the Ministry on his side and they could get to you easier."

Darcy was quiet as she slowly ate her apple tart. The whole table had fallen silent again and she sighed loudly so everyone suddenly turned to look at her. Mrs. Weasley took that opportunity to change the dark subject to a more cheery one – one that _she_ thought was cheery.

"Ron, have you cleaned your room?" his mother asked sternly.

Ron groaned his mouth full of food. He put his spoon down and glared at Mrs. Weasley. Charlie and Darcy snickered. "Why?" he exclaimed. "Why does my room have to be cleaned out? Harry and I are fine with the way it is!"

"We are holding your brother's wedding here in a few days time –"

"And are they getting married in my bedroom?" Ron asked. "No! So why in the name of Merlin's left saggy –"

"Don't talk to your mother like that," snapped Mr. Weasley. Charlie nudged Darcy and they both chuckled.

Mrs. Weasley told Ron to clean his room, sent Harry with Mr. Weasley to help with the chickens, asked Hermione to change the sheets for Monsieur and Madame Delacour, and then asked Charlie and Darcy to do the dishes. The two, still sharing one chair, nodded and everyone stood up awkwardly, glad to have their own space again. Mrs. Weasley was slowly gathering up all the dishes by hand and Darcy inwardly sighed – magic would have made everything go faster, but she still supposed that Mrs. Weasley was trying to keep everyone apart.

"Thank you, you two," Mrs. Weasley said, inspecting Charlie's hair as he rinsed the dishes Darcy was washing. Charlie grumbled something under his breath about doing everything the Muggle way and Darcy smirked. "The Delacours are coming tomorrow at eleven, so be up and dressed and ready. Charlie, we're going to have to do something about your hair – it's far too long."

Charlie moaned. "It's fine, mom. Darcy, do you think my hair is too long?"

"Definitely," she giggled and Charlie glared at her. "It's past your ears. What's wrong with you?"

"She's right, dear," Mrs. Weasley tutted and walked off.

"Now she's going to cut it tomorrow morning," Charlie complained.

Darcy shrugged. "Then just grow it back when the wedding is over," she suggested.

"That's what I'm planning to do." Charlie smirked. "What about your hair? It's getting too long, too. Maybe mom'll cut yours."

"She won't touch my hair!" Darcy retorted. Charlie cackled.

"Look how long it is –" Charlie reached into the sink full of soap and his hands came out all bubbly. He touched Darcy's face, smearing bubbles all over her. "Past your ears! Shame on you!" Darcy laughed and screamed, throwing bubbles at Charlie and getting water all over his shirt. They both laughed. Charlie wrapped his arm around Darcy's neck and put her in a headlock.

"Charlie! _Charlie_!" she could hardly speak through her laughter. "I'm going to choke to death!"

"I'm not even holding that hard! Quit your crying!"

Someone appeared in the kitchen, but Darcy couldn't see because Charlie was still holding onto her. Charlie let her go and Darcy stood up, fixing her hair and wiping the bubbles from her face. Her smile faded as she saw Lupin standing in the doorway.

"Have I interrupted something?" Lupin asked the two of them and Charlie turned his back on him and began to rinse the plates Darcy had washed.

"No," Darcy said coldly. "Me and Charlie were just talking."

"Didn't look like you two were just talking –"

"Just get out of here, man!" Charlie whipped around and shouted. Darcy's green eyes widened and she stared the Weasley down. "Let her alone!"

Lupin pursed his lips and clenched his fists, turning and walking up the stairs. Darcy kept her eyes on Charlie, smiling again. "Why'd you do that?" she asked quietly.

"Because he won't leave you alone. You deserve that much after all he's done to you."

Darcy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

When the two finished the dishes, they bid each other goodnight and set off for their separate rooms. It had been a long time since Darcy had been that happy.


	5. The Minister of Magic

**I know I already have these written and they should be published already. I'm going to do that right now… Anyway, enjoy this tension packed chapter and whatnot. I don't know. Enjoy!**

**THE MINISTER OF MAGIC.**

Without even thinking, Lupin reached for the door handle and opened the bathroom door, looking for a mirror to fix his hair in. A wave of heat and steam hit him, and his face turned red. He must have been awfully quiet because the red headed girl in the shower was still humming to herself. Her back was to him and her head was visible over the shower curtain. Her auburn hair looked almost black because of it being wet and Lupin had to fight the urge to reach out and caress her milky skin.

He watched her for a few more seconds and she turned the water off. He scrambled, knocking a brush off the sink and his shoes squeaking on the floor. Lupin heard Darcy chuckle, although she didn't turn around to face him.

"Were you spying on me?" she asked him quietly, wrapped her arms around her. Her towel was still on the floor and she wasn't about to walk out in the open before him, completely naked. Darcy smirked as he stammered.

"No, not spying - I had no idea – I wasn't paying attention and I just opened the door…" he finally spat out.

"It's okay," Darcy replied. There was a short pause. "Can you hand me my towel?"

"Yeah," Lupin muttered, handing her the towel folded up on the floor. Darcy took it from him, wiping her face and wrapping the towel around her body. She stayed still in the shower. "Sorry."

"You're fine," Darcy assured him. "I've been meaning to talk to you."

"I don't think here in the bathroom is an appropriate spot to have a conversation, if you don't mind me saying."

Darcy giggled quietly. "I suppose you're right, but where else will we have privacy in this place? Between Charlie, Mrs. Weasley, and Tonks? I think in the washroom is the only place we can be alone with no interruptions or distractions."

"Ah," Lupin smiled awkwardly. "But do you really think that you in a towel isn't a distraction for me?"

"Then close your eyes," Darcy told him seriously. Lupin knew if he did so, he'd end up daydreaming and picturing her naked. He didn't want that. He was disgusted with himself and gave a shiver. Darcy rang out her hair and it dripped on the shower floor.

"Look, we can chat later," Lupin told her, although he made no movement towards the now closed door.

"When?" she asked. "Please don't avoid talking to me. I feel like you don't want to speak to me anymore."

Lupin faltered. "I haven't been avoiding you. I've been doing the complete opposite. You've been the one avoiding me!"

"Then why have you been turning the opposite way when you see me? Why haven't you talked to me? Why do you look away every time our eyes meet?" Darcy sighed. "You only approach me when _you_ want to say something. Besides, it's not like we're doing anything we shouldn't be doing. You don't have to be scared of Charlie, you know. You're a bit bigger than him."

"Perhaps in height, but have you seen his arms?"

"Remus, please. I think we need to talk about what happened like rational people."

"I just – can't. You know that if I begin to have a conversation with you, I'll fall for you again."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"If I didn't have a wife, no," Lupin answered, rubbing his eyes. "But you know the situation I'm stuck in."

"That you're stuck in or chose to be in?" Darcy asked sheepishly. "It was a choice to marry."

"Yes, you're right."

"I'm too scared to talk to her – to Tonks, that is," Darcy sniffed. "I'm too scared she'll hate me."

"Why would she hate you? You've done nothing wrong," Lupin said. "Now come on, Fleur's parents will be here soon. Get ready."

* * *

><p>At eleven o'clock exactly that morning, on Harry's seventeenth birthday, the Delacours arrived. Darcy was still getting dressed for the rehearsal, her dark auburn hair pulled back into a plait. She called Charlie into her bedroom and asked with a slight tint to her cheeks for help with her dress zipper. He politely helped her and then asked for help tying his purple tie. She grinned and began tying it slowly, knowing that if it was even the slightest bit crooked, Mrs. Weasley would break down into tears, claiming that the whole wedding rehearsal was ruined.<p>

Charlie looked extremely handsome in his suit. Mrs. Weasley had just trimmed his hair and it looked a little silly, but he was just going to grow it back after the rehearsal. His mother had tried to slick back his hair, but it wouldn't stay and it kept falling into his eyes. He had to keep flicking his neck to get it out of his face.

Cursing, she untied his tie, realizing she had done it wrong. Charlie chuckled. "I'm never going to get married," she told him, not sure if that was the complete truth or not.

"Oh yeah? And why's that?" he asked as Darcy pulled his tie tight, admiring her work. He smiled, thanking Darcy quietly.

"Because what if I get married to the wrong person? It's not an easy thing to fix," she thought. "If I regret getting married, there's nothing I can do. I mean, someone my age, I could easily just trick myself into falling in love with someone because I want to get married so badly."

Charlie was silent.

"You know what I mean?" she said, looking up at Charlie. Neither of them moved away from each other.

"I know exactly what you mean," he replied. "But I think you'll know when you're really in love. It's a great feeling – or so I've heard from Bill."

"Have you ever been in love?" Darcy asked him and when he shook his head, she turned away and put her shoes on, looking into the full length mirror propped up against the wall. "I have. It's horrible."

"Why would you say that?"

"It's so much work," she sighed.

"It's supposed to be a lot of work," Charlie told her. "You don't really believe that loving someone is supposed to be easy, do you? If you are really in love, then you'll have something – or someone – to work for. It'll all be worth it if you love them."

"That is a piece of wisdom past your years, Charlie," Darcy grinned at his reflection in the mirror. "That seems like something your dad or mum would say."

"I'm just telling you what I think," he shrugged. "And I think you're being ridiculous. What good is life if you've got no one to spend it with? What's the point of living life by yourself? You should want to share your life with someone who wants to share it with you."

Darcy frowned. "I'm just scared I won't find the right guy."

"Just don't rush yourself. He'll come to you."

"I don't think I have time for a boyfriend or a fiancé or anything right now," she said firmly. "I'm still young and I've got too much to do and too many things happening. If I don't get married, I'll still have you. You and Harry."

Charlie nodded. "You'll always have me." He stepped closer to her and touched her bare shoulder. Darcy spun around quickly with a grin.

"Let's make another promise."

"What kind of promise?" Charlie laughed.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-five."

"Okay, I'm twenty-one. Let's make a deal." She paused and thought. "When I'm thirty-five, you'll be thirty-nine, going on forty."

"Where are you going with this?" he asked.

"Just listen!" she shushed him. "If I'm not married by then, and if you're not married by then, let's get married."

"You and me?"

"Me and you," she repeated.

"That's a long way off," Charlie told her and Darcy nodded. "You sure you're ready for a promise like that? I thought you weren't going to get married at all."

"If I had to marry someone, I'd gladly marry you."

"And I'd be honored to marry you," Charlie teased. Darcy didn't say anything and Charlie opened his mouth and nodded. "You're serious?" He raised an eyebrow, a slight grin on his face. "You're really serious about this?"

"Yes."

"Well," Charlie stammered and glanced about the room. Darcy frowned. "Do I have to buy you a ring or something?"

Darcy's face lit up again and Charlie breathed out lightly and shook his head, chuckling a bit. "No, I don't think so. But, I mean, if you want to…" she joked.

"I suppose I'll just steal Fleur's from Bill's front pocket."

"I'm sure that would go over well."

They laughed together again. Charlie put his hands on Darcy's shoulders and steered her from the bedroom. "Come on, if we're just a second late, mum will murder us."

Charlie offered Darcy his arm as they approached the top of the stairs and she took it with a small smile. They walked down the stairs and greeted Fleur's parents, who spoke in a thick French accent and Darcy had to listen very, very carefully to understand what they were saying. When everyone was acquainted, Mrs. Weasley led everyone outside to a giant marquee that was set up. Bill and Fleur walked together down the aisle and Fleur's parents instructed them where to stand while Mrs. Weasley stood back and watched them.

Then, they showed Charlie where to walk and Darcy, still holding his arm, was told to sit down in the front row. Mrs. Weasley was next and was to sit beside Darcy. When she sat down, she turned to Darcy and began asking what she thought of Charlie and if she liked him and thought he was handsome. Darcy's face was bright red as she explained that they hadn't even known each other for that long and they were just friends.

A few rows back, Lupin heard the entire conversation, as Mrs. Weasley wasn't a quiet person at all. He felt himself relax after hearing Darcy's answers and Tonks grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently, noticing that he was staring intently at Darcy.

When the wedding rehearsal was done, Mrs. Weasley brought out a giant cake, surprising Harry. It was shaped like a Golden Snitch and Darcy fought past everyone, trying to get to her brother. They hadn't had any time to speak to each other, nevermind look at each other and Darcy pushed her way through the Weasleys to Harry.

"Happy birthday!" she panted. She wrapped her arms around Harry and he hugged her tightly. "You're seventeen! You're of wizarding age now! You can actually use magic now whenever you want. How does it feel?"

"Feels great," Harry sighed happily.

Darcy bit her lip and leaned in close to his ear. "I have a gift for you. It's upstairs – I'll show you later, alright?"

Harry nodded, a bit surprised and everyone else came over to congratulate him, pushing Darcy out of the way. She mumbled curse words under her breath and walked over to the glasses set up on the table near the front of the tent. She picked one up and drank the champagne in one sip. Darcy refilled her glass and drank the second drink in one gulp again.

"You better slow down," said a voice from behind her.

Darcy jumped, nearly choking and she coughed and spluttered, turning around to see Lupin standing there, his hands in his pockets, a smirk on his face. "I can drink as much as I want," she said, turning around again and putting her glass down. She went to walk inside, but Lupin blocked the door. "Would you quit it? I'm looking for Charlie. Have you seen him?"

"No," he answered quickly. "I know he's trying to keep you away from me."

"Gosh, I wonder why."

"I just want to talk to you. I feel like I owe you another apology. You said you wanted to talk to me."

"But I don't want an apology. When you feel like you are ready to _explain_ yourself, then we can talk. Now move so I can go chat with Charlie."

"No."

"Remus! Stop! Get out of my way!"

"You like him, don't you?"

"Of course I like him! If I didn't, do you think I'd be spending so much time around him?" Darcy snapped, trying to push past Lupin, but he kept blocking the entrance to the house.

"Not like that, Darcy."

"I've known him for a few days – I don't like him like that and he very well knows it!"

"Darcy –"

There was suddenly a loud popping noise and Darcy jumped and turned around, backing into Lupin. He wrapped his arm around her and when she realized what he was doing, she stepped away from him. What was on the table was a bright, silver weasel Patronus and it stood up on its hind legs and spoke with Mr. Weasley's voice.

"Minister of Magic coming with me."

The Patronus dissolved into thin air. Lupin began to panic. "Where's Tonks?" he looked around quickly. "I shouldn't be here." He grabbed onto Darcy's wrist and she withdrew her hand, glaring at him. "I – I'm sorry."

"Where are you going? What's wrong?" she asked him.

"I'm sorry – I'll explain another time." He bit his lip and ran over to Tonks, grabbing onto her hand tightly, hopping over the small fence, and Disapparating.

Charlie had appeared in the doorway and Darcy looked at him. "Did I hear the Minister of Magic is coming?" he inquired and Darcy nodded. "But why? I don't understand."

Darcy shrugged and she and Charlie walked into the kitchen to begin setting plates for Harry's birthday dinner. In the middle of setting the table, they heard heavy footsteps step into the kitchen and Darcy looked up. She had seen his picture in the newspaper before; he had long, stringy hair and a flat face, and behind the Minister, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Mr. Weasley were standing together. Darcy looked at Charlie for reassurance, but he shrugged, giving her a blank look. He seemed just as confused as everyone else.

"Come with us, Miss Potter," said Rufus Scrimgeour. "I need a word with you four alone."

"Why?" Darcy began to ask stubbornly, but Charlie gently pushed her towards the five people as they walked to the sitting room. Mr. Weasley anxiously watched them as he shut the door to the small, comfy room that had suddenly become colder with Scrimgeour in their presence. The Minister did not speak until the four were seated comfortably on the couch, their shoulders touching. Darcy was squished between Harry and the armrest. She sat up straight and cleared her throat.

He had a deep, raspy voice. "I have some questions for the four of you, and I think it would be best if we did it individually. If you three –" he pointed to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Could wait upstairs, I'll start with Miss Potter."

"They don't have to leave," Darcy said. "You can speak to us together, or not at all."

Scrimgeour scowled. "Very well. Together, then," he shrugged, clearing his throat again. "I am here, as I'm sure you all know, because of Albus Dumbledore's will."

The four looked at each other.

"A surprise, apparently! You were not aware that Dumbledore left you anything?"

"A – all of us?" Ron asked. "Me and Hermione, too?"

"Yes, all of –"

"Dumbledore died over a month ago," Harry interrupted. "Why has it taken this long to give us what he left us?"

"It's obvious," Hermione told Harry, who was seated to her left, on Ron's left. "They wanted to examine whatever it was that he left us. You had no right to do that!"

"I had every right," Scrimgeour said. "The Decree for Justifiable Confiscation gives the Ministry power to confiscate the contents of a will –"

"That law was created to stop wizards from passing on Dark artifacts," Darcy frowned. "And the Ministry is supposed to have powerful evidence that the deceased's possessions are illegal before seizing them! Are you telling us that you thought Dumbledore was trying to pass us something cursed?"

"Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss Potter?" Scrimgeour asked.

Darcy was quiet as Harry, Hermione, and Ron watched her. "No," she finally stated. "No, I'm not. I'm hoping to do some good in the world."

Scrimgeour looked at Darcy and she stared right back at him, unblinking. "Is it true that you were close to a certain Severus Snape?"

"I – you could say that," Darcy sneered.

"And is it true that you've been passing information to him for years?" Scrimgeour continued. "Ever since You-Know-Who came back?"

"I never passed information to him!" Darcy snapped. "I'm not a spy, if that's what you're trying to say! Snape learned all the information by himself!"

"How?"

Darcy was at a loss for words. She couldn't tell the Minister about the Order of the Phoenix and the three teenagers stared at her, hoping that she knew that. "Dumbledore trusted Snape and confided in him secrets that he wouldn't share with anyone, just as I would confide in Snape," Darcy took a deep breath. "But my secrets were nothing compared to Dumbledore's! I told him worthless secrets about my own personal life, not secrets about saving the world from Voldemort's rise to power."

"So you're telling me that you think Dumbledore was being foolish?"

"A bit, yes!" Darcy replied and Harry felt a sting of pain as she agreed with the Minister. "I don't understand why you'd trust a former Death Eater with secrets at all!"

"I thought you'd be able to tell us that. You trusted him, didn't you?" asked Scrimgeour.

"I did," Darcy answered quietly. "But not enough to tell him _everything_."

Scrimgeour seemed to finally accept her answer. He turned to Ron, completely changing the subject. Harry patted Darcy's hand, but she pulled it away. "Would you say you were close to Dumbledore, Ronald?"

"Me? Not really… It was always Harry and Darcy who…" he replied. Harry, Hermione, and Darcy looked at Ron with raised eyebrows, trying to get him to stop talking. Scrimgeour smirked slightly.

"If you were not very close to Dumbledore, how do you account for the fact that he remembered you in his will?" Ron's ears turned bright red. "He made exceptionally few personal bequests. The vast majority of his possessions – his private library, his magical instruments, and other personal effects – were left to Hogwarts. Why do you think you were singled out?"

"You're being modest," Hermione said quickly.

"Yeah, he was very fond of you, Ron," Darcy added.

Scrimgeour cleared his throat and pulled out a bag from his traveling cloak. He withdrew from said bag a piece of parchment that was rolled up. He unrolled it, cleared his throat once again, and began to read. Darcy found that she had been holding her breath. "The last will and testament of Albus Percival Wufric Brian Dumbledore… ah, here we are… To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in hope that he will remember me when he uses it."

Scrimgeour pulled out a small, silver cylinder from bag and passed it carefully to Ron. Ron took it and pushed the button on the top. All the lights went out and when Ron clicked it again, the room lit up. He sighed. "Wicked."

"To Hermione Jean Granger," Scrimgeour continued. "I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive."

The Minister handed Hermione a small, beat up, old book and she held it gingerly.

"To Harry James Potter," he said. Darcy held her breath again, waiting to see what Dumbledore had left her brother. "I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill."

Scrimgeour reached into his drawstring bag and picked up the small, golden ball with a rag and held it out for Harry to take. Harry hesitated and then picked it up. Nothing happened. Darcy looked around. It was such a strange gift – they all had received gifts so far… except for her. Darcy's stomach clenched and she watched the Snitch's wings flutter weakly in Harry's hold. Everyone was quiet and Darcy began to think that Scrimgeour was done. Darcy hadn't gotten anything. She tried to hide her disappointment from the Minister.

"Is that it, then?" Darcy asked angrily. She began to stand up, but Scrimgeour shook his head.

"No, that's not all," he told her. "Dumbledore left you something, too, Miss Potter."

"What is it?"

Scrimgeour didn't read her first, middle, and last name and didn't announce what she had received. He didn't even look at the will that was floating beside him. He stared at Darcy the entire time as he spoke. "The sword of Godric Gryffindor." Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at Darcy and she was scanning the room, looking for a shiny sword with a ruby hilt. She didn't see it.

"Where is it, then?" Darcy asked.

"Unfortunately," Scrimgeour spat. "The sword was not Dumbledore's to give away. The sword of Godric Gryffindor is an important historical artifact, and such as, and –"

"That sword belongs to Darcy!" Hermione protested. "It presented itself to her and Harry in the Chamber of Secrets."

"The sword may present itself to any worth Gryffindor, Miss Granger," Scrimgeour told her. "That does not make it that wizard's – or in this case, witch's – property."

Hermione was quiet.

"And in any event, the current whereabouts of the sword are unknown."

"Excuse me?" Darcy scoffed.

"The sword is missing." He paused. "I don't know you four are up to, but you can't fight this war on your own. He's too strong." He looked them all over one last time and stood up, rolling the will back up and putting it in his drawstring bag, and leaving the Burrow in silence.

Darcy sighed loudly.

* * *

><p>"Well? What did he want?" Charlie asked Darcy quietly, sitting at the foot of her bed. She was already in bed, underneath her blankets and staring out the window. "The Minister?"<p>

"He read us Dumbledore's will," said Darcy. "He just wants to know what we're planning, though."

Charlie sighed and he touched her knee, smiling slightly. "Hey, I've got an early birthday present for you."

"My birthday isn't until September," replied Darcy.

"I said _early_ birthday present." Charlie jumped up off the bed and Darcy closed her eyes. She heard him shuffle out of the room, into the room next door, and he returned quickly. Darcy sat up and Charlie held his hands behind his back. "It's not much, but it's all I could really do because we're being watched. I can't go anywhere these days."

"I'm sorry that Harry and I are such a burden to you," she told Charlie sincerely. "We won't be for much longer…"

Charlie frowned. "You're not a burden! I didn't mean to say it like that!" he faltered. "I don't mind you being here. I enjoy your company." He sat down, still hiding the present from Darcy behind his back. "I've almost forgotten what it's like to have a friend like you. I spend so much time with dragons that when I come home, it's hard for me to communicate properly with humans." They both chuckled slightly. "But I don't have a hard time communicating with you."

"I'm flattered," Darcy smiled and Charlie stood up.

"It's a journal," he said, showing Darcy the present behind his back. "Like I said, it's not much, but I figured that you'd need some way of expressing yourself while you're gone. I don't think you'd want to tell some teenagers everything."

"It's perfect," Darcy grinned honestly. "Leave it on the stack of clothes over there in the corner. Thank you."

Charlie stood up again and got nearer to Darcy. He touched her face and pressed his lips to the top of her head. "Goodnight, Darcy."

"Goodnight."


	6. The Lovegoods

**THE LOVEGOODS.**

"Hi." Lupin stood in the doorway to Darcy's bedroom. She looked at him and then hummed a response. "I've been thinking what to say to you."

"And what've you come up with, then?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not forgiving you."

"Well, I think you should talk to Dora about it."

"Dora. _Dora_," Darcy muttered to herself. "Can't call her Tonks anymore, can you?"

"Well, Tonks isn't her last name anymore…" Lupin said weakly. "So, no, you can't really call her that. I don't think she'll mind though – I mean, if you talk to her about it –" He stopped himself before he began to ramble. Darcy wasn't saying anything. "I think you should talk to her."

"Why?"

"So you can resolve your friendship."

"I – I don't know," she said worriedly, turning around to face Lupin. He saw the look of hurt on her face and he licked his lips, feeling a bit guilty. "How do you forgive someone for doing that? I can hardly forgive you!"

"Darcy, you said you wanted to talk to me, but you don't act like it," he said. "If you want to talk to me, now is your chance. We don't have that much time left. You're pushing me away and I don't like it."

"I'm pushing you away because it's for the best! You don't know what's going through my mind! No one does!" Darcy panicked. "I think I may be going mad!"

"No, you're not going mad –"

"I don't know what to think anymore."

"Quit pushing me away."

"I can't," Darcy answered. "You'll be safer if we leave each other alone. It'll be better for you and Tonks – er – Dora."

Lupin stayed where he was. "I don't care if it's safer for me. I'm in danger all the time, too. Don't pretend like you're doing me any favors. I'm worried about you – honestly, I am. I don't know how you really feel about me, but I'm tired of you constantly changing your mind and doubting your feelings. When you decide you really want to talk, then _I'll_ be waiting for _you_."

* * *

><p>"I wanted to give you this," Darcy said quietly, holding out the old, torn potions book. "I found it last year in Slughorn's room. And I thought you might like to look through it."<p>

"Darcy, er –"

"No," she smiled weakly and put it in his hands. "Just open it."

Harry opened the potions book and read the name on the inside. _James Potter_. His eyes met his sister's and he flipped through the pages that had notes inked on them. Some pages would have random scribbles while others had 'L.E.' written in a heart. There were a few drawings of a Quaffle and a Snitch and sometimes there were animals drawn – one looked just like a stag. "This is crazy," Harry breathed, closing the book. "Where did you get this?"

"It was in Snape's desk drawer last year. The day before we left, I went through his things and found that." Darcy shrugged. "I didn't have any time to buy you a birthday gift. If we weren't on lockdown, I would have gone to Diagon Alley ages ago."

"No – no – this is fantastic," Harry said with a smile. "I can't believe you actually found this." He wrapped his arms around her and they hugged each other tightly for a moment. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Happy birthday, Harry."

* * *

><p>Mrs. Weasley had begged and begged to do Darcy's hair for the wedding. Darcy finally agreed, knowing that it might be the only chance Mrs. Weasley ever got. Mrs. Weasley sat on the rocking chair in the sitting room and Darcy sat on the ground, holding her knees to her chest, not yet in her dress, but in a t-shirt and shorts.<p>

Darcy stared straight ahead as Mrs. Weasley ran a comb through Darcy's hair. "It should be Fleur's hair you're doing," Darcy joked quietly. "It's not my wedding, you know."

"Fleur has her own parents to do her hair," Mrs. Weasley told her lovingly. "So I feel obligated to do yours. Ginny won't let me touch her hair."

Darcy smiled and licked her lips. It would be hard leaving the Burrow. She had come to love every single Weasley like family and she had made a best friend there. Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley treated her as if she was their own daughter and the Burrow was becoming home for her. In a few short days, she had developed an attachment to the place and she most certainly did not want to leave.

"When you come back," Mrs. Weasley continued and Darcy swallowed loudly. Mrs. Weasley was wrapping strands of Darcy's hair around her wand. "I'll have to do your hair for your wedding."

"My wedding? To who?" laughed Darcy.

"Hopefully Charlie," Mrs. Weasley said seriously, but with a slight chuckle. "But if not him, Remus will do."

"Don't I have any other options?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Let's just make sure you come back safe first, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

><p>"Charlie!"<p>

Charlie poked his head into Darcy's bedroom and grinned. "Need zipped up again? Great, I need my tie tied, please."

Charlie zipped up her simple black dress and noticed that her hair wasn't in a plait like it had been for the rehearsal. Her hair was wavy and it covered the scars on her shoulder that seemed to stand out lately. A single, deep, royal purple flower was in her hair and Charlie smiled, admiring it. "Don't laugh," Darcy scolded him with a slight smile. She grabbed his tie in her hands and tied it quickly. "Your mum gave it to me so we could match a little bit."

"I wasn't going to laugh," Charlie replied. "I was going to say it looks beautiful. You look stunning, Darcy."

"Thank you," she blushed. "Shall we head down? I think they're going to start seating people soon."

When Charlie and Darcy got outside, they began fidgeting uncomfortably, the sun beating down on them. Guests had already arrived and it was crowded underneath the cool, shady marquee that the boys had just set up that morning. "Will you excuse me for a moment?" Charlie said, nodding towards his panicking mother. "I'll be right back – I'll go help her with whatever she's doing." Charlie slipped away and Darcy looked around for Harry, but Lupin walked quickly up to her and she snorted and tried to walk away towards the drinks, but Lupin followed her.

"Sorry about last night," he whispered, standing awkwardly close to her. "The Ministry is being very anti-werewolf lately and we thought our presence might not do you any favors."

As Darcy turned around, she saw that his face looked older. He definitely wasn't happy and she frowned. He looked absolutely miserable, but she didn't say anything. She tried to find Tonks in the crowd and noticed that she had turned her hair blonde. Darcy wished she could be Tonks in every way – she could change the way she looked, be married to Lupin, and be an Auror. Darcy scowled; Tonks had the life she wanted and had been dreaming of for so long. "It's okay. I understand," was all she said to Lupin, drinking some champagne. "Are – are you okay?"

"Fine, why?" he said rather defensively.

"You don't look too good. Did you sleep well last night?"

"Not really." Lupin smiled weakly. He reached up and touched her right shoulder, moving her auburn hair away to show the scars. She jumped, a bit startled he had been so bold. "Sorry," he muttered. "I don't know what I was thinking."

Darcy eyed him suspiciously as he looked at the ground, running his fingers through his hair. She glanced once more at Tonks, who was staring back at her and both girls looked away quickly.

"What did the Minister want?" Lupin asked, looking back up at her to see Darcy fixing her hair so her scars weren't visible again.

"To read us Dumbledore's will."

"What?"

Darcy didn't say anything.

"And what happened?"

"Ron got a Deluminator, Hermione got a book, Harry got a Snitch, and I got the sword of Godric Gryffindor, which is currently missing." She saw Charlie walking over to her again and she stood up straight, breathed in deeply. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Charlie is coming and before your wife curses me for looking at you, I'll be going."

"Hold on," Lupin sighed and he grabbed Darcy's arm and pulled her back to him. "Talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about. You said you would wait for me to talk."

Lupin scoffed. "There's plenty to talk about. I thought you'd at least try to make conversation, but you haven't said a single word. Are you ready to hear my apology?"

"I'm not going to listen. I'm fed up with you, understood? Fed up with your lies and your excuses. I'm fed up with your desperate, pathetic attempts to try to win me back and apologize for getting married to my best friend. For once in my life, I have a best friend who cares about me and is trying to protect me – from _you_, so leave me alone."

Darcy stormed away from Lupin and grabbed onto Charlie's arm as he walked her through the crowd of people to meet a few of his family members. Lupin was confused. Hadn't she said she wanted to talk to him? Or was she just trying to make conversation? True, he didn't know what she was thinking, and he cut her some slack. She was leaving tomorrow; leaving people who genuinely loved her. He knew how hard it was going to be, especially for someone of her age who had already been hurt by people she loved before.

What bothered Darcy the most was that Tonks had nothing to say about the matter. At least when Darcy had 'stolen' Lupin from her, she apologized and felt guilty. Tonks seemed glad and hadn't even attempted to make small talk with her ex-best friend. But Darcy reassured herself that it was alright. She had Charlie now as her best friend – one of the closest she had had in a long time – and she didn't miss Tonks. If Tonks wanted to be like that, so be it.

Charlie had stopped before a very old, vulture type woman who was sitting down near the back of the tent. She looked oddly familiar. She peered at Darcy and examined her carefully, as if thinking how to word each and every criticism.

"You're Charlie's girlfriend, yes?" she barked.

"Oh, no," Darcy said, a blush spreading to her face. "I'm Darcy Potter. I'm just a friend of his. We met a few days ago when he came to get my brother and me."

"Took good care of you, I presume?" she asked again. "He's always been like that. Where is your brother anyway, Potter? I haven't seen him around yet."

"He's around somewhere," Darcy replied. She looked about the crowd for a moment.

"I'm Charlie's Auntie Muriel," the old woman said gruffly. Now Darcy remembered – she had seen her briefly the night that she and Charlie took the Portkey to the Burrow. She looked Darcy over for what seemed like the tenth time. Charlie's ears were bright red. "Shame. He hasn't ever a girlfriend – well, I think he had one a few years ago in his fifth year at Hogwarts. Didn't last long. She wasn't really into him. I think it was part of a bet – that's what his father told me, anyway."

"Auntie…" Charlie muttered, quite embarrassed. Darcy giggled and Charlie shook his head and looked away.

"He needs someone strong like him. You're too skinny, child. Put some meat on your bones and clean up your appearance and then we'll talk about _your_ wedding."

Darcy's face was as red as Charlie's hair and she frowned. Charlie took her arm and led her away from Muriel. "Did she really mean that?" Darcy asked Charlie. "Am I ugly?"

"She says that to everyone – don't take it to heart. I think you're lovely." Charlie smiled at Darcy and she nodded.

Meanwhile, Lupin was pleading with Fred and George for some cream to put on his eye, which still had a massive bruise. Several people had questioned him about it already. Fred and George kept rejecting him. "That bruise is staying until you make up with our dear friend, Darcy," George told Lupin, his arms crossed.

"She won't let me talk to her!" Lupin cried, throwing his hands up. "This is hideous! Make it go away!"

Fred shrugged and shook his head. "No."

"What do you mean 'no'?" Lupin said angrily. "This thing will be on my face forever –"

"Serves you right," George sneered. "Besides, it should come off in a few weeks. Perhaps months."

"You deserve that ugly bruise," Fred continued. "You deserve much more than that, but since we're nice, we'll just let you have the bruise."

"This isn't funny anymore," Lupin growled at the twins.

"We think it's hysterical," Fred told him sharply. "And so does Darcy. And everyone else who likes her."

"I'll tell your mother to –"

"Mum's on our side," George snapped. "She doesn't care that you've got a black eye. Darcy's got a broken heart. Which do you think is more serious?"

"George! Fred! I'll hex you both!"

"Then do it!" George threatened him. "Can't be much worse than losing an ear, yeah?"

"Besides," Fred snorted. "Darcy knows how to get rid of the black eye. You could try asking her."

"I told you that she won't talk or listen to me," argued Lupin.

"Whose fault is that?" George rolled his eyes. "Why would you apologize for getting married? It wasn't a mistake. You knew damn well what you were doing."

"You're daft for marrying Tonks," Fred said and Lupin was a bit surprised; he thought that Fred and Tonks got on well. "She's half the girl Darcy is. Darcy gave you more than Tonks does."

"Can Tonks even make you Wolfsbane?" George asked, but Lupin didn't get a chance to answer because Tonks had shown up, catching the last bit of their conversation. She looked awfully hurt and insulted. The twins felt a little bit guilty, but everyone standing there knew that it was true. Lupin hadn't made a mistake in marrying Tonks – he knew what he was doing and it was certainly no accident.

Tonks frowned and the twins walked away silently. "Maybe they're right," she whispered, watching them chatting up two French girls. "Maybe you did make a mistake in marrying me."

"No! Don't say that!" Lupin hissed. "I haven't made a mistake. I love you. Don't listen to Fred and George. They're young and foolish and don't know what they're talking about."

Tonks glanced at the young woman standing with Charlie, smiling and laughing at something he had told her. "I haven't talked to her," Tonks admitted to Lupin, tearing her eyes from Darcy. "Even though I should have already."

Lupin looked down at Tonks and sighed.

"Why are we married?" she asked him quietly. "We rushed ourselves into this, but why? We should have taken it slow. Rushing things hurt Darcy even more."

"You know why we're married, Dora," Lupin said. "Because we love each other."

"That's not the real reason and we both know it," she retorted. "I do love you, Remus, but I wish you'd love me back the way you love Darcy."

"I don't love Darcy," he told Tonks, clenching his fists, growing frustrated. "I love you."

Tonks avoided his eyes for a moment, but then finally looked up at him. She nodded. Lupin grabbed her hand and they went to sit down.

Charlie took Darcy's hand in his and led her to her seat in the front row beside his mother. Charlie stood at the front of the marquee with Bill. Guests were being seated quickly and quietly as the string music played and the wedding began. They all turned to see Fleur and her father walking smoothly down the aisle – bright smiles on both their faces. Fleur reached Bill finally and Bill's face lit up.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the squeaky voice of the man at the altar. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls…"

"They just look fantastic," Mrs. Weasley cried quietly in Darcy's ear, blowing her nose. Tears were already falling from her eyes and Darcy felt a bit awkward. "Please do me a favor and marry Charlie – that'd be the wedding of the century. Think of how many people would come to a Potter wedding."

Darcy gasped and felt her face go hot. Charlie looked at her strangely and she giggled, covering her face in her hands as the embarrassment wore off.

"You two aren't together already?" Mrs. Weasley said in a hushed voice, muffled by her tissues. "You two would be perfect. I've been putting you two together for a reason, you know."

"No," Darcy whispered back. "We're just friends. Good friends. That's all we'll ever be, I think." Darcy began to think of Lupin. What if they had gotten married? What would their wedding be like? Would it be at the Burrow or in private? She began to get teary eyed as she thought of just being with him. She thought of the times he told her he loved her and would be with her forever. No one noticed; everyone assumed that she was getting emotional because of the wedding.

"Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle…?"

_Do you, Remus John, take Darcy Lily…?_

Darcy looked to her right and caught Lupin's eye. "Then I declare you bonded for life…"

When the ceremony ended, Darcy went to congratulate Bill and Fleur warmly, hugging them both. She went to go find Charlie, but she found someone else instead. Luna Lovegood was sitting at an empty table, inspecting the glass in front of her as if it was going to kill her. Darcy sat down with her.

"Hello, Luna," she greeted the young, blonde haired witch with a smile.

"Hello, Darcy," she replied dreamily, still staring at the glass. "How are you?"

"I'm great. What about you?"

"I'm okay."

"I had no idea you were friends with the Weasleys," Darcy shrugged.

"Oh, yes," she said, finally looking up at Darcy. "Dad and I live just over the hill. It was kind of them to invite us to the wedding." It was quiet for a minute between the two girls. "I thought you were going to be getting married to Remus. I had no idea this was Bill's wedding until we arrived."

Darcy looked down into her lap. "No," she said quickly. "He's married, you know."

"To Tonks? I figured that out. She hasn't left his side all night."

Darcy nodded.

"It's sad, I think," she continued. "It's sad to see that two people who are perfect for each other aren't together."

"What?"

"You and Remus."

"We aren't perfect together and I don't care that he's married," she lied. "I don't need him as my husband or boyfriend."

"Whatever you say, Darcy. Are you returning to Hogwarts with him this year?" she asked.

Darcy held her breath and then cleared her throat. "Not this year, Luna."

"Oh, alright. I speak for all the students at Hogwarts when I say that we'll miss you."

Darcy bit her lip. She wanted so desperately to return to Hogwarts. She wanted to go to the only place she had ever known where she was wanted. She wanted so badly to go _home_. Did she? Dumbledore was gone, but she had never really been that close to him, anyway. And Snape wasn't going to be there, was he? He couldn't. He had murdered Dumbledore – why would he even think of returning?

It was his home, too. Darcy sighed. Of course he'd want to return.

She thought hard. First, she had given up her dream of becoming an Auror just to be with Lupin at Hogwarts. And now, her dream was never going to happen. The second best thing would be a potions master at Hogwarts – she could handle that. But now she was giving up that dream for Harry, someone else she loved. What was she gaining from all of this? What good came out of giving up her dreams for other people? No good was coming from it. Lupin wasn't her's anymore and she had no idea what was in store for the four when it came time to hunt for Horcruxes.

She wanted to think about herself. She wanted to be married to Lupin. She wanted to be an Auror. But that wasn't going to happen. What was the next best thing?

Married to Charlie?

Not married at all?

Living at Hogwarts?

She couldn't decide. Everyone was rushing everything because of the war and starting families and teaching and getting married and Darcy was on a suicide mission. Going to hunt Horcruxes with seventeen year olds.

What was happening to her life?

"I don't quite think that Hogwarts will be the same at all," Darcy told Luna after a long time. She was surprised that Luna had stayed put. "Not without Dumbledore."

"I should think not," Luna shrugged. "But lots of things will be changing. Of course, we will most likely have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

Darcy hadn't thought of that.

"I hope it'll be one like Professor Lupin was," Luna glanced at him quickly. "He did teach us a lot. I like learning about it. Without Dumbledore's Army meetings, that class is the only place I'll learn how to fight. Or at least defend myself."

Darcy smiled faintly. She was glad that someone actually missed the DA meetings. She missed them, herself. "Perhaps McGonagall will be Headmistress and I know she'll have enough common sense to find a good professor for her students."

"I do hope she will be," Luna smiled. "She's a fantastic witch. I wish you'd come back to Hogwarts, Darcy. It's a wonderful place to be with friends. Almost like home."

"Yeah…" Darcy hesitated. "I don't think I'll be coming back at all, Luna. You, Ginny, and Neville will have to start holding your own DA meetings. I doubt that Professor McGonagall will mind it, as long as it's a secret to the other professors and the Ministry."

"She's very kind, isn't she? I want you to know –" Luna leaned in close and lowered her voice. Darcy's eyes widened. "If you ever return to Hogwarts, the DA will be behind you one hundred percent. Well, Ginny, Neville, and I will be, anyway. We've still got the coins."

Luna stood up straight again and Darcy chuckled. "That's very nice of you, Luna. I appreciate it. But if I do return to Hogwarts for whatever reason –" Darcy had a faint idea of why she'd be returning to Hogwarts – "I don't know if you'll be able to help me at all."

"It'd be worth a try, yes?"

"I suppose so."

"You shouldn't decline an offer for help, Darcy," Luna said, her father sitting down beside her. "This is my father. Daddy, this is Darcy Potter."

Mr. Lovegood shook hands with Darcy and he seemed ecstatic to see her. "Xenophilius Lovegood, Miss Potter," he said, pulling away from the handshake. "It's so great to finally meet you. My dear Luna has told me so many good things about you." He kissed Luna's head and she smiled. The two looked almost exactly alike. "She's been hoping that you'll fill in the new position at Hogwarts this year as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

Darcy laughed. "I hardly think I'm qualified for such a position."

Xenophilius leaned in close to Darcy, just as Luna had earlier. "And I hardly think teaching students would be anything compared to fighting You-Know-Who in the Ministry of Magic. The Lovegoods' and the Quibbler are behind you, Miss Potter, you and your brother."

Xenophilius looked around quickly, flicking his neck from side to side. The silver necklace he was wearing hit Darcy in the jaw once, but he didn't realize it. Darcy examined it closely – was it an eye? "You write for the Quibbler?" asked Darcy, a bit more interested in him than she had been before.

Xenophilius stared at her like she was crazy. "You didn't know?"

"Well, no," Darcy shrugged. "I mean, I think Luna has said so once or twice, but…"

He looked a bit insulted, but put on a cheery smile. "She's a good girl. Come Luna, let's go have a drink and dance, shall we?"


	7. Charlie Weasley's Best Friend

**CHARLIE WEASLEY'S BEST FRIEND. **

Darcy finally found Charlie and walked over to him, who was getting a drink of wine. She tapped him on the shoulder and he turned quickly, swallowing the wine in his mouth and smiling. "Hello," he said happily. "How did I do? Was I a good best man?"

"The best!" Darcy replied and they both laughed. "All you had to do was stand there and look good the whole time! You nailed it."

They stood there, looking at each other for a moment, and Darcy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Would you like to dance?" Charlie asked and he held out his hand. Darcy eagerly agreed and took his hand. He led her to the dance floor and with one of her hands in his, he placed the other on her waist. Darcy rested her hand on his shoulder. "Mum is convinced that we're going to marry each other."

"Oh, she's already asked me if we're going to get married," Darcy chuckled. "I had to break the unfortunate news to her myself. She said that our wedding would be the wedding of the century."

"She was a bit disappointed when I told her we were just friends and that's all we were going to be."

"How do you know that? We could very well end up married, you know. Remember our little deal?"

"No, I don't think we'll be getting married," Charlie grinned and Darcy raised an eyebrow. "I know that you've still got your heart set on a certain Remus Lupin."

Darcy blushed fiercely and Charlie raised his eyebrows and smirked. "I don't!" she protested, but Charlie knew that to be a lie. They both laughed and just as quick as it had come, the smile was wiped from her face. "I'm leaving tomorrow." Charlie was about as tall as her and she only had to look up a little to look right into his blue eyes that resembled Ron's so much.

Charlie considered that for a moment before answering. "And you still won't tell me where it is you'll be going?" he asked her.

"I could and would tell you if I knew," she sighed honestly. "But I have no idea where I'll be. I just can't tell you what it is we'll be doing. I wish I'd be able to send you letters or something, but the Ministry is going crazy. They'll intercept every letter and find me."

Charlie breathed out his long nose and pursed his thin lips together.

"I'm glad you're here, though. Really, truly glad. It's nice having a friend like you, Charlie. It's been so long since I could talk to someone like I talk to you. It's been so long since someone has really appreciated me like you do."

Charlie smiled weakly and Darcy rested her cheek on Charlie's shoulder; her nose just gently brushed the skin on his neck and she suddenly realized that he smelled strongly of cinnamon. Their feet moved in sync quite impressively to the slow string music, seeing as most of the people dancing were a bit tipsy and flailing about. "I'm glad you're here, too, Darcy. You're a fantastic person. I'm so glad I met you," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "It'll be a shame when I return to Romania. The dragons just aren't as friendly as you are. You – you're my best friend."

Darcy giggled.

Back at another table, Ron and Harry were sitting together, incredibly bored. Ron was viciously watching Hermione dance with Viktor Krum, who had shown up because of an invitation he received from Fleur. Ron's eyes landed on yet another redhead in the crowed, getting cozy with Darcy. Ron snorted; Harry hadn't noticed his sister dancing yet and hardly cared who she was dancing with. He was too busy watching Ginny. But Ron's odd noise got Harry's attention. "What?" he asked Ron dully.

"It's just – it's your sister," Ron chuckled and Harry gave his best friend a threatening glance. "She's got – _interesting_ – taste in men. First, it's Remus, who's like, way older than her and boring and old fashioned and a werewolf and now it's Charlie – _Charlie_! Blimey, I reckon Percy's better looking than him!"

Harry then proceeded to look for Charlie. When he found the handsome, stocky Weasley, he saw that he was indeed dancing with his sister. Her head was resting on his shoulder and she looked awfully sad. "She doesn't love Charlie," Harry said in reply. "She still loves Remus."

"I don't know about that," Ron shrugged. "Look at how close they are. I just saw him kiss her head."

"She's not used to having friends like him." Harry waved a hand at his best friend impatiently as if Darcy Potter was the easiest person in the world to figure out. "Remus never really trusted her, Tonks stole the man she loved, and Snape hardly looked at her. But Charlie is legitimately interested in her and shows that he cares, unlike Snape."

Ron turned to Harry. "You think Snape actually cared about Darcy?" he asked, sounding quite shocked at what Harry had just said. "The git only cared about himself."

Harry hesitated. "No, that's not true," Harry continued, not quite understanding why he was arguing for Snape. He was still watching his sister dance with Charlie. "I think he did care about her, he just didn't want to admit it to anyone – especially himself." He paused. "Snape would have done anything to keep her out of danger, even though he acted as if he hated watching over her."

"But Remus watched over her," Ron pointed out. Their eyes found Lupin next, who was talking to Mrs. Weasley while holding Tonks's hand. "Snape was just intervening on their relationship."

Harry's forehead creased as he thought hard. "No, Remus would do anything to have her safe, but I think he overestimates her ability a bit. He believes her when she tells him she doesn't need help. She thinks she's independent, but she needs people. He didn't come running to save her like Snape did. Snape keeps her head out of the clouds and her feet grounded. He reminds her that she's not extraordinary – well, I think she is – but he made sure her head didn't get too big. If he hadn't done that, I think Darcy would be dead."

"Last year, during the fire –"

"But Snape was the one who healed her injuries. All the time."

"I've never heard you say anything like that before," Ron laughed hesitantly, wondering if his best friend had gone mad.

"Come on," Harry muttered. "Let's go get something eat. We'll say 'hi' to Luna, too."

"Good idea," Ron agreed, standing up quickly. He took one last glance at Darcy and Charlie. "I'm starved. You know, Luna's not that bad of a girl… quite funny… I think she's grown on me…"

Over by the corner of the marquee, Tonks had gone to congratulate Bill and Fleur, leaving Lupin and Mrs. Weasley alone. Lupin looked and felt slightly uncomfortable and kept reaching up to touch his black eye, but then played it off by quickly running his fingers through his hair. It had grown since last year.

"Tonks - she's very young, yes?" Mrs. Weasley finally asked. Lupin shrugged.

"She's about Darcy's age. Little bit older," Lupin said coolly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Darcy and Charlie have gotten comfortable during the last few days," Mrs. Weasley nodded towards her son and Darcy, who were still dancing silently to the slow, string music playing. Mrs. Weasley smiled at her son and Darcy.

"They're roughly the same age," replied Lupin calmly. "Stick them together for twelve hours a day and they'll learn to like each other."

Mrs. Weasley didn't seem to like his answer. She lowered her voice and it became harsher. Lupin felt like he was being scolded by his mother. "I can't believe you did it, though. Breaking her heart. She's still a child. She still needs to be loved."

Lupin sighed deeply. "So we're back to this? I thought you didn't approve of our relationship."

"I seemed like the only one," Mrs. Weasley finally admitted. "I suppose it's too late to give you my blessing?" Lupin looked at the plump woman before him and blinked a few times. Of course she was too late! "She's miserable. I hate seeing her like that; she's like my own daughter."

"She's got Charlie and her brother," Lupin said, grinding his teeth. "And Hermione and Ron. She's got all of you Weasleys. The twins seem to enjoy her company, as well."

"She's been looking after Harry for seventeen years now. I've known her for six years and that girl needs and deserves a break."

"So you're saying I could look after Harry like he's my son or something while she lays back and kicks her feet up?"

"_You_ are her break," Mrs. Weasley explained. "Sometimes you don't have to talk or go somewhere. You don't have to take over for her responsibilities. Sometimes just being together in complete silence is enough. When she's with you, she feels at peace. She relaxes around you and that's why you're her break." Mrs. Weasley looked at Darcy again and smiled weakly. Darcy was laughing at something Charlie said; they were still dancing. "Let me tell you something about Darcy. She's an old soul stuck in a young woman's body. She's seen the world and she's been through things a girl her age shouldn't ever be through. She's a mother and a sister and a great girl. She raised Harry all on her own; that takes patience and gentleness. A certain kindness that can't be found in every girl. She can argue her opinions well, challenge someone's intelligence, and keep a conversation going for a long time. She has love in her heart for everyone. She loved Snape – that's got to say something."

"I know that," Lupin said softly, looking at the girl who he had fallen quickly in love with over the years.

"But she cares too much about what people think of her," Mrs. Weasley kept saying. "Kind of like you." Mrs. Weasley now fixed her gaze on Lupin.

"I hardly believe that to be true, Molly," Lupin answered. "She's got thick skin."

Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows. "Perhaps before she met you. You didn't know her before you met her, obviously. She was a much different girl back then. A tougher, meaner, angrier girl. If you really paid attention to her, you would realize that she does not quite have the same tough exterior that she used to. You broke her down, Remus. Albus paid me a visit at the end of her first year as an intern." This caught Lupin's attention and he bit down hard on his bottom lip. "You don't know what she told Severus, do you?"

Lupin felt defeated. He had lost. He had been put second to Snape and he felt a bit humiliated. "No," he rasped. "No, I don't."

"She would sit in his office," Mrs. Weasley told Lupin sadly. "And he would read her or show her the articles about herself after she begged him to let her see and she'd stay in his office crying. Most days she wouldn't get back to her quarters until ten o'clock that night."

Lupin licked his lips.

"I may hate to say it, but Darcy needs someone like Severus. She won't cry in front of Harry or Hermione or Ron. I don't think she'd cry in front of you like she did Severus."

"I just – why Severus… why him? Why would she only cry like that in front of him?"

"She's independent, you know."

"I know," Lupin gritted his teeth.

"Severus would never hold her and tell her it was okay and to stop crying. He wouldn't reassure her that she was fine. Severus kept his distance from her, by letting her cry and not overwhelming her, but he also didn't quite ever let her out of his sight." Mrs. Weasley paused. "She cried in front of Severus because he never told her it was wrong of her to cry. He never told her to stop. She never wanted to cry in front of you because you were the one who taught her it was okay to cry. It made her feel weak. You changed her. It was embarrassing for her to cry in front of you."

At that moment, Tonks had bounded over with a smile, wrapping her hands around Lupin's arm. "What did I miss?"

Back on the crowded dance floor, Charlie looked down at Darcy in the eyes. "We've been dancing for a while," he chuckled. "You tired yet?"

"No," she replied with a shy smile and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Not at all."

"I've got a question for you. Well, I've got something to say to you," he said and Darcy looked at him again. "I won't pry anymore. I understand that you can't tell me what you're doing, but stay safe, okay?" Charlie sighed. "And I don't want you to think that you deserve to die for all of this. I care about you – everyone here cares about you. I don't want you to go out there, expecting to die. I want you to go out there and do what you have to do, expecting to come home when you're done and see me. Can you do that?"

"I – I –"

"Do it for me?"

She was choked up. A tear ran down her cheek and Charlie reached up and wiped it away with his thumb. He kissed her cheek. Darcy breathed in sharply and pulled slowly away from Charlie. "Will you excuse me for a second?" she asked and Charlie, a frown on his face, released her hand and let her go.

Darcy walked off the dance floor and passed tons of red-headed men and women. She gave up looking for Ron, who she knew would be with her brother. Lupin coughed loudly as Darcy passed him, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley. He was the only one to see Darcy leave in a hurry, for her red hair disguised her and the other two thought her to be just another Weasley.

"I'm just going to pop inside for a second," Lupin told Tonks. "Do you mind?"

"Oh," she released her grip on Lupin's arm. "Not at all. Go ahead, sweetheart."

Lupin brushed past her and squeezed past Fred and George, who snickered and grabbed his arms, pulling him back. "Where are _you_ going?" George cocked an eyebrow.

"Nowhere," Lupin muttered, quite frustrated by the hassle the twins had given him the past few days.

"You're following Darcy," Fred said in an accusatory tone.

"Maybe I am. Aren't I allowed to talk to her?" Lupin hissed and George pursed his lips and let his arm ago; Fred did the same and they both walked away in the sea of Weasleys.

Lupin saw a black figure to his right – Darcy's dress. He jogged around the corner of the lit marquee and saw her sitting down on the step before the back door. She had her legs stretched out in front of her and she leaned back on her hands. She was looking up at the sky, her long hair falling in waves, nearly touching the ground.

Lupin approached her and cleared his throat. She sat up straight. "Can I join you?"

"I suppose if you really want to." She moved over to her right, making room for him to sit down on the step. Lupin sat down, stretching his legs out in front of him as well. Their shoulders were touching, but neither one of them made an effort of moving away. "I'm leaving tomorrow," she blurted out. Lupin looked sadly at her, but she was staring at the ground.

"You say it like I've somehow forgotten," he replied in a low voice. "But I know. I haven't forgotten."

"I'm terrified."

"I can imagine. You don't where you'll be half the time and you've got not just yourself to take care of, but three other kids and you're still just a kid yourself."

"Well," she sighed. "I can't say this time that you don't understand, because you sort of do."

Lupin smiled weakly. "I'm getting better at the whole understanding thing. I'm trying." There was a short silence between them. "You've got to promise me two things before you leave."

Darcy knew he was going to say the same things Charlie had just said. She was ready for it. "Or what? You'll keep me hostage here at the Burrow?" she half-heartedly teased. Lupin looked seriously at Darcy, not in the mood for her jokes. "Alright. What do I have to promise you? The same thing I've promised everyone else?"

Lupin ignored her statement. "The first thing is you have to promise me that you'll stay safe and come see me when all of this is over. No matter how long you take, you have to visit me, even if I'm on my deathbed. And if that's the case, then you have to take care of me until I die."

"Okay, I promise."

He smiled slightly. "The second promise is that you'll always remember that you're not alone. Always remember that people are fighting for you because they love you. And to help you remember," he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the shiny, silver bracelet that Darcy had returned to him only a few months ago. "I want you to have this."

Darcy shook her head, but Lupin took her wrist and put it on her.

"It doesn't have to mean what it did before," Lupin told her, holding up her wrist and admiring it. "It can mean whatever you want. It can mean that I'm always going to back you up and support you and fight for you, as will many, many others."

"I promise I won't forget." She smiled.

"That's my girl."

"And I'm sorry about the Boxing Telescope… It was foolish and immature of me to agree to let Fred and George prank you."

"It's nothing," Lupin smiled. It cheered Darcy up slightly. He touched his black eye gently. "It's a bit funny, actually. You mustn't forget that I was once friends with your dad and Sirius. They would have loved the twins and their pranks."

"Just be thankful it was the telescope I picked."

"Do I want to know what the other choices were?" he asked.

"Well, out of everything, I narrowed it down to two options," she smiled brightly. "The telescope or U-No-Poo."

Lupin was quiet for a second and then, the two chuckled together.

"I need to tell you something before I leave."

"Why now?" Lupin asked. She didn't answer. "You're scared that you won't ever be able to tell me…"

Darcy nodded. "I love you, no matter how many times I deny it. I love you and I'm upset that Tonks has gotten everything I've dreamed of. She's an Auror and she has you. That's all I ever wanted in my life and she has it. I'm jealous of her and I should apologize because I've so rude to you these past few days. It's been confusing for me. But it's for the best because I might not see you ever again."

Lupin turned to face her. She closed her eyes and felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"But I don't know how to say goodbye to you."

Lupin took her hands. "We aren't saying goodbye," he whispered. "Look at me." He touched Darcy's chin and lifted her face. "Open your eyes." Darcy opened her eyes and more tears fell down her cheeks. "That's better."

She sniffed and looked away again.

"No, Darcy, stop. Please, look at me," he pleaded and took her face gingerly in his hands. "You've been my best friend. We aren't really saying goodbye. It's more of a – a – 'see you later'." He pressed his lips softly to her forehead and Darcy began to sob. Lupin knew she wasn't crying just for him; he knew that the Weasleys were her family. "We'll see each other again."

Darcy nodded and he hugged her for a very long time, holding her for what she thought, would be the last time.

"You've left a mark upon me, Darcy. You amaze me. You'll do great things," Lupin spoke into her hair. "You are strong. You'll make it. And when it's all over, you'll be able to come home."

"I have no home," Darcy admitted shyly.

"But you have people that love you," Lupin said, stroking her hair. "And they are always willing to welcome you into their home. Their home – my home – it's your home, too."


	8. Second Thoughts

**hi, i personally think this chapter kind of sucks, but here you go! since i'm sick today, you'll most likely have the next two chapters up soon. enjoy!**

**SECOND THOUGHTS.**

Darcy walked back into the marquee before Lupin and he followed shortly after, not wanting Tonks to question him if she had seen them walk in together. Darcy went to seek out Charlie, but was stopped by Hermione. She looked worried.

"Are you okay?" she asked and Darcy nodded with a smile. Her eyes were red and her lashes were wet. "You look as if you've been crying."

"No, I haven't," Darcy replied. "I'm just exhausted. Dancing really takes the life out of me."

"Look, I've been thinking, should I pack-" she began, lowering her voice and Darcy shook her head frantically, looking around quickly.

"Now isn't the time for this!" Darcy rasped. "Not in front of everyone. Who knows who could be listening?" She sighed and Hermione nodded in agreement. She saw Charlie having a discussion with his mother and father and then looked around for her brother. "Have you seen Harry around?"

"I believe he went inside to use the loo."

"Thanks." Wiping her eyes again, she pushed past the millions of Weasleys and made her way to the front door of the Burrow. Harry was standing inside, leaning against the kitchen counter and looking out the window. The screen door behind Darcy shut loudly and Harry jumped, turning to face her. "Hey."

"Hey," he said. "What're you doing in here?"

"Came to talk to you."

Harry nodded slowly and stepped towards the dinner table. He pulled out a chair for his sister and they both sat down beside each other. "I've been meaning to talk to you, too. Well, as of five minutes ago."

"Go ahead. Mine isn't that important."

"I saw you and Lupin talking outside this window," Harry nodded to the window he had just been looking out of and a slight blush spread across Darcy's face. "Leaving is going to be hard on all of us. That's what you were talking about, right?"

Darcy nodded.

"I've been thinking," he spoke with his hands. "Lupin's been with the four of us for a while now. I mean, do you think we could _tell_ him…? I mean, he wouldn't tell anyone else if you simply asked, right? You two are close. He'd do that for you, wouldn't he?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Darcy said reluctantly. "You and I both know that it's got to be us. Dumbledore wouldn't have wanted us to let anyone else know where or what we're doing. You know that he can't know."

Harry frowned. "I've seen what you're like when you're sad," he shrugged. "And I don't want you to be sad. I mean – Hermione and Ron will be with us, but it won't be the same for me as it will for you."

"You don't have to worry about me," lied Darcy. She smiled weakly and ruffled Harry's hair. "I'll be fine. It's you three I've got to worry about. Besides, with you guys, I'll never be lonely. I love you all."

"Yes, but –"

"Family comes first," she whispered, nodding her head to make a point. "You're my brother and Hermione and Ron have been family for a long time now. If Remus were to come with us, can you imagine the drama that would happen because of him? He'd upset me and I'd upset him. We fought all the time last year. If he came along, all you'd hear would be our screams. Besides, he's married. We can't drag him away on some journey with us while he's married to Tonks. She wouldn't like that one bit."

"What about Charlie?"

"I haven't known Charlie for that long," Darcy reminded Harry. "I don't think that would work out, either."

Harry looked defeated.

"Don't worry about it. I've got you three. I appreciate the thought, but under no circumstances can Remus join us on our hunt. We promised Dumbledore, remember."

Harry finally nodded, although Darcy knew that he wasn't fully agreeing with her.

"Come on, let's go back outside and enjoy our last night here. We deserve a bit of fun, don't we?" Darcy asked, rubbing his shoulder reassuringly. Harry stood up and Darcy hesitated.

"You coming?" he said over his shoulder as he reached for the door.

"I'll be there in a second. I've got to use the loo."

Harry nodded and smiled, joining the reception back outside. Darcy sighed and held her face in her hands, her elbows resting upon the table. Everything she had told Harry physically and emotionally pained her. She took deep breaths, wondering how on earth she had kept herself from crying while listening to Harry. His heart was definitely in the right spot.

Darcy had to be the strong one. She was the Harry's older sister; she felt almost obligated. But what she wouldn't have given to be able to bring Lupin with her. The comfort of his arms around her every night, the comfort in his voice as he tried to reassure her, the comfort of his lips on her's – she couldn't think about that. She pushed the thoughts from her brain. It would never happen again and she knew that.

She finally stood up and took a final deep breath and headed to the door again. Charlie met her at the entrance. He grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the drinks. He grinned. "I was just looking for you. Harry said you were still inside. Having fun?"

"Tons," she replied with the best smile she could give him. "I'm having a lot of fun."

"Cheer up," he said, touching her cheeks with his hands. "It'll all be alright. I promise."

"You can't promise something like that," Darcy whispered. "You just can't."

"What if I do one of those – you know – er -?" He let go of her face and held out his pinky. "Those Muggle promises…?"

Darcy laughed and they hooked pinkies.

"Hey, Darcy!"

Darcy turned to see Ron calling her name. He was already walking towards her and she bid Charlie goodbye to go see what Ron wanted. "What?" she asked, meeting him in the middle of tons of drunken, dancing fools. "What is it?"

"See Hermione dancing over there?"

Darcy looked furtively over Ron's shoulder to see Hermione dancing with a handsome man about her own age. "Yeah. Who is that?"

"_Who is that_?" Ron spluttered. "It's Viktor Krum! The Quidditch superstar!"

Darcy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, anyway, I need you to dance with me."

"Dance with you? Why?"

"To make Hermione jealous."

"I don't think Hermione would be very jealous of you dancing with _me_."

"Ah, just take my hand –"

At that moment, something silver fell through the roof of the marquee and landed in the center of the dance floor. Ron moved towards it and Darcy crept up beside him, her eyebrows furrowed. It was a lynx and Darcy looked at it strangely as everything and everyone fell silent. The music stopped abruptly and the clinking of glasses had silenced. Darcy could hear her own steady heartbeat.

The Patronus opened its mouth and spoke in Kingsley's deep, slow voice. "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."

The Patronus disappeared and everyone was frantic. People were Disapparating and Ron and Darcy drew their wands, looking for Harry and Hermione. Ron grabbed Darcy's hand, pulling her towards the two friends, but Darcy was screaming Charlie's name, her chest heaving. Death Eaters had surged the marquee and the Burrow, shooting spells everywhere. Darcy ducked and a blue ray of light knocking over the table behind her, spilling all the drinks on the floor.

"_CHARLIE_!" she screamed and she ripped her hand from Ron's, lunging towards the older Weasley. "Charlie!"

"Darcy! I'm here! I'm here!" Charlie reached for Darcy, his arm and hand outstretched. "Darcy!" Their hands were so close…

Lupin had caught her. He threw her back towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were holding out their own hands, waiting for her. "Go, Darcy! You have to go!" Lupin yelled, but Darcy protested and Charlie ran towards her, reaching for her hand once more.

But Harry grabbed Darcy's hand before Charlie could and in a second, they were twisting through the air, Disapparating from the Burrow.

"You IDIOT!" Charlie screamed, shoving Lupin. Charlie ducked and shot a spell at a Death Eater. When they realized that the Potters' were no longer there, they disappeared and the only people left were the Weasleys, Fleur, Tonks, and Lupin. Mr. Weasley had kept the marquee from burning and it was broken, half of it on the ground. Fleur looked horrified and held onto Bill tightly. "YOU IDIOT!"

"What did I do?" Lupin asked harshly.

"YOU JUST MADE HER GO! WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE!" Charlie cried. "DIDN'T YOU SEE US? AND YOU JUST PUSHED HER AWAY!"

The Weasleys were getting off the ground and staring at Charlie screaming. He wasn't a loud man, he was normally rather reserved. He kept to himself and his friends and never got mad. His family was watching with wide eyes. "She could have died if she stayed! They would have killed her!"

"I DIDN'T GET TO SAY GOODBYE TO HER, YOU IDIOT!" Charlie grabbed the front of Lupin's dress robes and made to punch him, but Lupin grabbed his fist and they fell to the ground.

"THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED HER!" Lupin shouted and Tonks grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Charlie. Both men were fuming and Charlie groaned, rubbing his face and kicking the table that was already on the floor.

Darcy's heart was racing and she closed her eyes. When she felt her feet meet the ground, she opened them wide and saw that she was surrounded by people. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still there, backed up against a wall, still in their wedding outfits. Darcy's hands were shaking and she looked at the others; Ron's face was a sickly green, Harry was ghost white, and Hermione's lips were trembling.

Darcy was the first to speak. "Wh – where are we?" She felt as if she hadn't used her voice in years.

Hermione looked at her. "Tottenham Court Road. I don't know why I thought of it, it – it just popped into my head," she panted. "Come on, let's go – we've got to find a place for all of us to change."

Darcy raised an eyebrow, but followed Hermione. While the girls were dressed in dresses, Ron and Harry were wearing dress robes and looked oddly out of place, although everyone seemed too busy to be giving them a second glance.

"Hermione," Harry muttered. "We don't have anything to change into."

"Don't worry about it," Hermione replied. "I've got everything we need."

Darcy sped up to walk beside her and glanced down. Hermione was carrying only a beaded bag in her hand tightly. Her knuckles were white. "Did you -?" Darcy began.

"Undetectable Extension Charm. I've had all the essentials packed for days," Hermione said quickly and the four darted down a dark alleyway. "Here you go."

She tossed jeans, a sleeveless shirt, and a jacket to Darcy and she began to strip, forcing Ron to turn away while she changed. The four of them threw their dress clothes back into the bag, changed into normal Muggle clothes and then exited the alleyway, walking down the crowded street, not really knowing where to go.

Darcy breathed in deeply, still traumatized. "I think we should go back."

"Are you mad?" Ron snorted, although his voice still sounded worried. "And risked getting killed?"

"Ron's right," Hermione replied. "The Order was there and they'd look after everyone."

"You're worried about Charlie, aren't you?" Ron asked Darcy and she shot him a glare. "He's most likely more worried about you than you are about him."

"Nevermind about that," Darcy quickly changed the subject and looked at Harry. He was awfully quiet and his face was still white. He stared at his shoes, following everyone. "We need to figure out how they found Harry. The Burrow had every kind of imaginable protection around it."

"I don't know…" Hermione sighed and shook her head. "Come on. Let's go sit down in here."

Hermione led everyone into a small, sketchy café and Hermione squeezed into a booth next to Harry, Darcy sitting beside Ron. They all sat in a short silence and Darcy thought hard for a moment. "Maybe he's still got the Trace on him?"

"Can't," Ron told her. "Trace breaks when the wizard turns seventeen. It's Wizarding Law."

A stocky waitress approached the four of them and Hermione order them all cappuccinos. She walked away, not looking very happy, and continued to make their drinks. They all thought again. Darcy shrugged and leaned back in her booth, running her fingers through her hair that was still wavy. "We've got to find a place to Disapparate and then we have to send a message to the Burrow. We can use the Patronus thing that Kingsley did," she told the three of them.

"Where? The Leaky Cauldron?" Ron asked and Hermione shook her head.

"It's not safe," she said. "Nowhere is with Voldemort's followers everywhere."

"It was only a suggestion," Ron muttered and slunk back in his booth. The bell above the door to the café rang and the four of them looked quickly at the two burly workmen who entered, looking strangely at the four kids. They approached the counter and Ron continued. "We don't have anywhere else to go unless you are seriously considering just camping in the middle of –"

Harry stood up and Darcy and Ron moved quickly. Harry kicked the table over. He pointed his wand to the two burly men, who had their own wands pointed at the them. "_Stupefy_!"

The four ducked under the overturned table and a jet of red light soared past Darcy's face. She peered over the table, ducked and avoided another spell and yelled, "_Stupefy_!" It hit the tall blond Death Eater in the face and he flew back over the counter, unconscious.

Ron fired a hex at the remaining Death Eater and it bounced off the wall, hitting the waitress in the back, who had finally emerged from the kitchen with four drinks. The mugs fell to the ground and she followed them, her eyes closed, but only unconscious.

Hermione stood. "_Petrificus Totalus_!"

Her spell hit the last Death Eater and Harry, Ron, and Darcy stood up slowly, walking over to the two Death Eaters on the ground. Darcy kicked the wands from their hands. Harry bent down next to the blonde haired Death Eater. "Darcy," he finally said. "We should have recognized him. He was on the Astronomy Tower when Snape killed Dumbledore."

Darcy remembered; she nodded. "And this is Dolohov," Ron said, kicking the other one in the head rather lightly. "I've seen him on the wanted posters."

"Nevermind what they're called! What are we supposed to do?" Hermione said frantically. "How did they find us?"

Harry took charge and turned to his friends. "Ron, get the lights. Hermione, pull the shades. Darcy, lock the door."

They all did as they were told. "We need a safe place to go," Darcy licked her lips. "How they keep finding us, I don't know. But we need to get somewhere where they can't get to us." They were all thinking the same thing. She looked at Hermione. "Do a Memory Charm on them. The waitress, too. We don't need to be breaking anymore laws."

Hermione looked hesitant and she held out her wand. The three watched her as she pointed at each person. "_Obliviate_."

Before anyone could say anything else, they all grabbed hands and turned on the spot. Darcy closed her eyes and felt herself land on solid ground again. She waited a second until opening her eyes and realized she was in a very familiar town square. The sky was dark and every other window was lit up. Straight ahead of her were two apartments – 11 and 13. The four hustled over to the front of the building and they began to part. They ran inside 12 Grimmauld Place and shut the door behind them, locking it up again.

It was quiet. "I think we're alone," Darcy whispered, listening hard for any sign of movement.

Hermione raised her wand again. "_Homenum Revelio_."

Nothing happened. "That worked real well," Harry said quietly.

Hermione lowered her wand. "It did what it's supposed to do. We're alone."

"Let's go upstairs," Darcy said, leading them towards the large staircase. "But be quiet – Mrs. Black won't be happy when she sees or hears that we're in here."

They all quietly climbed the steps to the bedrooms and as Darcy poked her head into Sirius's old room, something silver soared through the window and she screamed, cursing when Mrs. Black began to yell. A silver weasel Patronus landed on the dusty bed and stood on its hind legs.

Mr. Weasley's voice sounded: "Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched."

The Patronus disappeared and the four stared in silence at the spot where the weasel had stood only seconds ago. Darcy turned to Ron. They smiled in relief at each other and they all shuffled out of the bedroom, shushing Mrs. Black and going down to the living room.

"So what do we do?" Darcy asked as they all sat before the fireplace in the sitting room, which was lit and crackled, causing them all to jump. They were all fidgety and became paranoid whenever someone moved and the floor creaked. "What now?"

"We wait," Harry shrugged.

"Wait for what?" Hermione snapped. "We can't stay here forever!"

"Snape could come waltzing in any second," Ron told them all.

"He's right," Darcy said. "Snape could bring a bunch of Death Eaters here to rummage through this place."

"We need to have a plan," Hermione sighed. "Harry, do you have any –"

"NO!" Harry shouted and the three jumped back in surprise. "I don't have any damn ideas! I don't have a damn plan! We've got to stay here because we have nowhere else to go! We all need to think of ideas! I don't know what the hell I'm doing!"

Harry stood up and paced around the room, running his fingers through his dark hair. Ron and Darcy looked at each other with wide eyes. She didn't blame him for being like he was, though – she, too, was angry and frustrated. She didn't know what to do. She assumed that Harry would have a plan like he always did.

Darcy stared into the fire and licked her lips. "I don't want to sleep alone tonight. I don't think we should sleep in separate bedrooms, in case someone – in case someone _does_ happen to come snooping," she breathed and everyone else seemed to agree with her.

"You mean Snape?" Harry spat. "Snape wouldn't take you, though. He _cared_ about you, right?"

"Harry!" Hermione smacked his arms. "Darcy's right. Let's stay together."

Ron insisted that Hermione sleep on the couch; Darcy slept on the floor beside Ron and Harry slept on the other side of her.

Darcy couldn't sleep that night. She lay silently as they all slept soundly around her. Her brain was whirring with thoughts. She was terrified that someone – Death Eaters – was going to find them and every creak she heard within the house made her heart race and she wanted to hide underneath her blanket like it was an Invisibility Cloak.

She was angry. She was angry that Dumbledore had left them this mission and she wanted to go back to the Burrow and hug everyone and thank Merlin that they were all okay. She wanted to be with Charlie – she wanted to be with Lupin. She was scared and angry and horrified. She wanted to feel loved and be surrounded by family. She looked at Hermione and Ron – they were her family now. They were her family until this mission was over. It wasn't fair.

"Darcy, go to sleep," Ron whispered from beside her. "Your breathing is keeping me up."

She was breathing rather heavy, being so scared. "I'm sorry," she said back. "But I can't fall asleep. I'm much too scared."

"We all are," breathed Ron. "I wish I was back at home just as much as you do. Trust me, if I could leave right now, I would, and I'd take you with me."

"Do you think Charlie is okay?"

"Charlie? What about him? You heard dad's Patronus – everyone is fine and safe. Why are you so worried about him anyway?" Ron chuckled softly. "Do you like him?"

"He's my best friend. I haven't had a friend like him in a long time."

"Well, I'm sure he's okay. He probably misses you just as much as you miss him. Now go to sleep."

Darcy stared at the back of Ron's head and longed to be close to the youngest Weasley boy. He reminded her too much of Charlie and she knew that they wouldn't see each other for a long time – if ever again at all. Ron suddenly rolled over with a slight grin; Darcy was breathing heavily again.

"Darcy, people will be able to hear you breathing from outside. Not to mention that your breath is very hot on the back of my neck."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, covering her mouth. "I'm sorry."

Ron nodded slowly, looking her in the eyes. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be okay. We'll play Exploding Snap or something tomorrow. I specifically asked Hermione to pack it so we wouldn't get bored."

Darcy nodded. Ron rolled back over and soon, he began to snore again.

Everything had been perfect that morning and for most of the day. _Perfect_. She and Lupin were on the verge of making up – Darcy swallowed loudly and held up her right hand. Lupin's bracelet sat perfectly on her wrist, shining brightly. She lowered her hand and stared up at the ceiling, her brain making her think that shadows danced across the roof and walls. Darcy finally closed her eyes, trying to shut out all the other creaking noises around her and she fell asleep.

Upon waking up, she was the first one. She slowly climbed out of her spot on the floor and began investigating. She went into the basement kitchen and sat down at the table, thinking about everything that had happened. Darcy looked in all the cabinets in the kitchen, looking for food, her mind completely blank. There was nothing but a little moldy bread and she tore off the blue parts, tried her hardest to fix it with magic (it didn't work), and she put it on a dusty plate, sitting at the table and staring at the food. She wasn't hungry anymore. She sat there for nearly an hour until Harry started calling her name; Hermione and Ron followed him into the kitchen.

"We found something," Ron said and Darcy raised her eyebrows. The three sat down around her and Harry took out the locket he had shown her at the beginning of the summer. "R.A.B. The person who wrote the note."

"You know who he is?" Darcy asked quietly.

"Regulus Arcturus Black," Hermione said and Darcy scrunched his nose. "Sirius's brother. His initials are on a bedroom door upstairs."

"But Regulus is dead. He can't have the real locket, unless it's buried with him." Darcy sighed. "Harry, give me the note."

Harry opened the fake locket and handed his sister the tiny note that was signed R.A.B. She read it over and over in her head. "I have no idea where it could be," Harry said, taking the note back from Darcy. She was about to speak, but there was a rustling noise coming from the cupboard beneath the moldy sink. The four of them looked at the closed cupboard and they all huddled together, but Harry stood up and opened the cupboard and reached in, pulling out Kreacher by his rag shirt.

Darcy gasped and Kreacher rubbed the back of his neck and sneered at Hermione and Ron. Kreacher bowed low to the ground and then looked up at Harry and Darcy. "I've got a question for you," Harry snapped. "And I order you to answer truthfully."

"Yes, master," Kreacher replied, bowing again.

Harry held up the locket. "Where is the real locket?"

"Gone."

"Gone?" Darcy answered angrily, about ready to strangle the elf. She already hated him to begin with. "What do you mean gone?"

"_He_ took it," Kreacher said.

"Who?" Darcy asked. "Who, Kreacher? You mean Regulus?"

Kreacher paused, almost as if Regulus's name caused him physical pain. "He came in the night."

"_Who_?" urged Harry.

"Mundungus Fletcher," Kreacher said grimly.

Darcy looked at Harry and Harry gripped the locket tightly in his hand. "Find him, Kreacher. Find him and bring him back here. Quickly, go!"

"Yes, Master," Kreacher said, bowing for a third time and he snapped his fingers.

Kreacher was gone.


	9. Shocking News

**SHOCKING NEWS.**

Darcy, Harry, Hermione, and Ron waited for Kreacher. They expected him to return in a few hours, but alas, he did not and they waited for three more, boring, tortuous days. Darcy noted that hooded, cloaked men lurked outside Grimmauld Place, but when they couldn't find anything, they would Disapparate.

Hermione spent most of her hours reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard over and over again, each time trying to see if she had missed a hidden message carefully placed by Dumbledore. Ron played with the Deluminator often, which was rather irritating, and sometimes, Harry's golden snitch could be found zooming around the house, returning to Harry when he came near. Darcy, however, spent her days lying on the sofa reading letters she had retrieved from Sirius's room and reading the books that Hermione had packed. No one really spoke to each other and they were getting a bit tired of waiting and tired of each other. Darcy wondered how they were going to live with each other for much longer if they couldn't do it in Grimmauld Place, but she did her best to be nice to each and every one of them.

One day, Darcy had retired to the kitchen to eat some moldy bread. She hadn't eaten a good meal in three whole days and she sighed, resting her head in her hands when she heard the click and grinding of the chains on the front door. Her body tensed and her heart stopped momentarily. She stood up, drawing her wand and walked halfway up the stairs. She noticed that Harry was halfway down the stairs to the hallway. They looked at each other and pointed their wands towards the door.

The door opened and closed and Darcy shouted, "Don't move!" at the intruder. Hearing her loud and clear, Ron and Hermione rushed down the stairs, clearly forgetting about Mrs. Black. She began screeching, but no one stopped her.

"Hold your fire!" said the man, holding his hands up. "It's me, Remus!"

"Thank goodness," Hermione sighed, but Darcy inched closer to him, still pointing her wand at him. Ron lowered his wand, as did Harry.

"Show yourself!" Darcy called over the screams of the portrait on the floor above them. Lupin walked forward, his hands still up in surrender and Darcy looked him over. Her heart beat faster.

"I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Moony, one of the four creators of the Marauders Map, married to Nymphadora, usually known as Tonks, I taught you, Harry, how to create a Patronus, which is a stag, and Darcy, your favorite food is peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches."

Darcy slowly lowered her wand. "Okay."

"No sign of Severus?" Lupin asked them all, looking at Darcy.

"No," she replied quietly. "Is everyone okay?"

Lupin nodded. "We're all being watched. There are a couple Death Eaters in the square outside."

"We know," Harry said. "They've been there for hours."

"I had to Apparate precisely on the front step so they wouldn't see me. I'm sure they don't know you're here because they'd have more people out there looking for you." Lupin was breathing heavily. "Let's go downstairs. I've got a lot to tell you."

They walked into the kitchen and Hermione flicked her wand at the fireplace, a fire springing to life. Lupin produced five butterbeers from underneath his traveling cloak and Darcy sat down across from Lupin, next to Hermione.

"I'd have been here three days ago, but I had to shake off the Death Eaters tailing me," he explained. "You came here right after the wedding?"

Harry shook his head. "Not until after running into a few Death Eaters on Tottenham Court Road."

Lupin nearly spat out his butterbeer. "_What_?"

Darcy explained what happened and Lupin shook his head, looking horrified.

"How did they find you so quickly?" he asked. "It's impossible to track anyone who Apparates, unless you grab hold of them as they disappear."

"We were wondering," Hermione began. "Could Harry still have the Trace on him?"

"Impossible," Lupin replied and Ron smirked. "It's Wizarding Law. The Trace has to break on your seventeenth birthday."

Darcy breathed in deeply. "What happened at the wedding? After we left?"

"Uh, well, Kingsley saved us with his message," Lupin told her. "Most guests Disapparated before the Death Eaters could get to them. They didn't know you were actually there, Harry, no one gave you away and I think they killed Scrimgeour because he wouldn't tell them. They forced their way into every Order connected house – they tortured Tonks's family."

Darcy's stomach churned. She scoffed. "And are they bothering for an excuse for torturing Harry's whereabouts out of people?"

Lupin looked away from Darcy and pulled out a copy of the _Daily Prophet_, handing it to her. It surprised her that it wasn't just Harry's face on the front page, but her's, as well and the heading read: "WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE."

Darcy looked away from the newspaper and examined the table closely. She knew who really killed Dumbledore and she didn't want to think about that. She was beginning to get sick to her stomach and Hermione noticed. It wasn't Snape the papers were worried about – it was Darcy and Harry, who were seen running from the scene only moments after Dumbledore had been killed. Hermione bit her lip, watching Darcy's face turn from red to white.

Lupin ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm so sorry." He sighed and Darcy avoided eye contact with everyone. "Voldemort hasn't declared himself Minister simply because he wants everyone to be afraid. If he were to openly declare himself Minister, there'd be a whole rebellion on his hands. And because of this, he is turning the Wizarding World against the Potters. But that's not it. They're after you, Ron, because you're considered a blood traitor. They're going after Muggleborns now, too."

Darcy looked up and he opened the newspaper to page two, pushing it towards Hermione. With shaking hands, she gripped the sides of the paper and read aloud. "The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so called Muggleborns, to better understand how they came to posses magical secrets. Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggleborn is likely to have obtained magical power by force or theft. The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggleborn to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggleborn Registration Commission."

"They can't do that," Darcy interjected as Hermione put the paper down on the table again. "That's inhumane and wrong."

"They're going to let it happen," Lupin replied seriously.

"But Muggleborns can't just steal magic," Darcy protested, knowing she wasn't going to change anything. "Hermione hasn't stolen anything. There must have been some wizard in her family or something."

"Unless you can prove that you've got a magical relative, you have to suffer the punishment," Lupin sighed sadly. "But I agree with you one hundred percent."

"And what's the punishment?" Hermione asked timidly.

Lupin shrugged sadly. "I have no idea."

"Well, what's You-Know-Who doing with Hogwarts, then?" Ron asked, determined to change the subject that was now making his stomach churn, as well. His sister was to be going back to Hogwarts and if Voldemort had changed it, something back could happen to her. If the Ministry was after Ron, he couldn't imagine what they'd do to his little sister to get his whereabouts out of her.

"Attendance is mandatory and they're weeding out the Muggleborns that way, too," Lupin said. "Voldemort's got his eye on Hogwarts. And there's another thing…"

Darcy's eyes met his.

"Snape is Headmaster now."

"Snape?" Harry gasped. "How could they let that happen? What about McGonagall? Or – or someone else? They must know that Snape was the one to kill Dumbledore, right?"

Darcy's eyes began to water. "I told you, Voldemort's got his eye on the school," Lupin said again.

"Of course Snape would be Headmaster," Darcy snapped at her brother. "He's practically Voldemort's number two. I bet you anything that Voldemort is controlling the school through Snape. Same reason he doesn't want to declare himself as Minister of Magic – he doesn't want to be the Headmaster of Hogwarts because there'd be even more rebellions."

Lupin nodded and then folded his hands on the table before him. He hesitated and the four watched him closely, for he seemed to be thinking hard. Darcy noticed for the first time that night that he looked as miserable as he did when she had seen him at the wedding. He was paler than usual and she knew the last full moon was two weeks ago.

"I'll understand if you can't confirm this," Lupin finally stated. "But the Order is under the impression that Dumbledore left you, Darcy and Harry, a mission."

"He did," Harry said. "And Ron and Hermione are in on it and they're coming with us."

"Can you confide in me what the mission is?"

"You've already asked me," Darcy said quietly. "We can't tell you and you can't come. Dumbledore didn't want to tell you, so we can't tell you, either."

Lupin frowned. "I thought you'd say that," he replied. "But I ought to be of some use to you. You know what I am and what I can do. I could come with you to provide protection. There would be no need to tell me exactly what you're up to."

Darcy thought about it. The four knew that he didn't really want to protect everyone; they knew he wanted to be with Darcy and make sure she was safe. And while she thought, she began to realize that it would be difficult not telling him about their mission with him watching their every move. And ingredients for Wolfsbane would be very difficult to get…

Hermione stared at him intensely. "What about Tonks?"

Darcy hadn't thought of her. She looked up at Lupin and he looked away from her nervously to Hermione. "What about her?"

"Well, you're married," Hermione shrugged. "How does she feel about you going away with us? With Darcy?"

Darcy raised her eyebrows, a bit more interested. Hermione glanced at Darcy and then back at Lupin. He spoke with a cold tone. "Tonks will be perfectly safe at her parents' house."

"Remus…" Hermione continued carefully. "Is everything alright – you know – between –"

"Everything is fine, thank you," he responded quickly and Hermione looked away and turned pink. There was a long silence and then Lupin spoke so softly that Darcy didn't think she had heard him right. "Tonks is going to have a baby."

Darcy had never been so heartbroken. She felt physically ill and she wanted to go run and hide and throw up. She felt lightheaded and dizzy and she took a deep breath in. She held her hands under the table and they shook violently. She felt like passing out. Hermione congratulated him, but Darcy knew her heart wasn't really in it. Lupin looked to Darcy and saw that she looked like she had suffered a transformation. She forced herself not to cry – not in front of everyone.

"So do you accept my offer?" Lupin asked. "Will four become five? I'm sure James would have wanted me with his children."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other, then to Darcy, and then to Harry. Harry cleared his throat and spoke icily. "Well, I'm not. I'm pretty sure my own father would want to know why you aren't sticking with your own kid, actually. We aren't yours. We don't belong to you. You've got your own child now."

The tension between the five of them could have been cut with a knife. "You don't understand…" Lupin muttered.

"Explain then!" Harry growled.

Lupin swallowed. "I – I made a grave mistake in marrying Tonks. I did it against my better judgment and have regretted it very much since."

"I see," Harry grimaced. "So you're going to just dump her and the kid off and run away with us? With _Darcy_?"

Lupin sprang to his feet and his chair toppled over. Darcy avoided his eyes, but could feel whenever he looked at her. She kept her eyes on the wooden table and tried hard not to cry. She was fighting the urge to throw up right there. "Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and unborn child?" Lupin shouted. "I should never have married her! I've made her an outcast!"

"Then what exactly were you planning to do with my sister?" Harry nearly screamed. "The same thing? Regret marrying her, get her pregnant, and then leave her? You've already hurt her enough."

Darcy felt a sudden rush of affection for Harry. "I know that marrying Darcy would have been a bad idea during a time like this! That's why I didn't! Besides, Darcy was the one who left _me_!" Lupin yelled.

Darcy stood up and pointed her finger accusingly at Lupin. "I only left you because I love you! If I could tell you why I left you, I would!"

"She has her reasons, Remus!" Harry argued. "She left you because she didn't want you to get hurt! And if this is really the kind of man you are, then you don't deserve my sister! You never have!"

"You, Harry, have only seen me amongst the Order or Dumbledore's protection at Hogwarts! You don't know how most of the Wizarding World sees creatures like me! When they know of my affliction, they can barely talk to me!" Lupin was flustered and panicked. His face was turning red and Darcy wanted nothing more than to hold him. "Don't you see what I've done? Even her own family is disgusted by our marriage! What parents would want their only daughter to marry a werewolf?"

"My parents would," Harry said through clenched teeth. "I think my dad would be perfectly happy with you marrying my sister over some scumbag he doesn't know."

"And the child – the child," Lupin clenched his own hair. "My kind don't usually breed! It will be like me – I'm convinced of it! How can I forgive myself, when I knowingly risked passing on my condition to an innocent child? And, if by some miracle, it is not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it must always be ashamed!"

"Then I suppose you never really thought of the consequences of _sleeping with my sister_?" Harry hissed. "Are you sure it's the child you're worrying about, or the fact that it's not my sister carrying your child!"

"Remus!" Hermione cried, completely ignoring Harry. "Don't say that! How could anyone be ashamed of you?"

"I'd be pretty ashamed of him," Harry spat. Lupin's eyes widened and Darcy looked quickly at her brother, knowing he had gone one step too far. "If the new regime thinks Muggleborns are bad, what will they do to a half werewolf whose father is in the Order? My father died trying to protect my mother and me and you reckon he'd tell you to abandon your kid to go on an adventure with us?"

"How dare you?" Lupin said. "This is not about a desire for danger or personal glory – how dare you suggest such a thing!"

"All of us know exactly why you're here," Harry said angrily. "You're here to protect Darcy because you're scared she won't make it. But you should be with your wife and child! You're a coward! Running away from your problems won't make it better! _Coward_!"

Lupin had drawn his wand and Harry started for his, but Darcy was the quickest and blasted Harry off his feet with a jet of red light. He was sent backwards into the brick wall and he groaned as he slid down it. She put her wand away and ran after Lupin as he rushed to the front door. He almost left, but she caught him, holding on tightly to his arm.

"Harry – he's just upset – he's scared," she pleaded, almost in tears. "You can't believe anything he said to you because it's not true! I know you would be able to help us, you'd protect us, but it has to be us four!"

Lupin looked down into her eyes and she let go of his cloak, her hands falling to her sides. He breathed in deeply and ran his fingers through his hair. "Look at what I've done to you. You look miserable and terrible. I feel bad. I feel horrible. I'm disgusting." He sighed. "I thought you trusted me."

"I do!" Darcy replied. "But honestly, I – I don't think Dumbledore would have told anyone else! If my parents were still alive, I don't think he would have told them, either."

"I came back here for you…"

"You have to believe me," she whispered. "I left you because I love you. In the end, you'll see why. Just trust me. That's what friends do."

He shook his head. "You heard what Harry said. He's right about everything and there's no denying it."

"He's wrong! He's upset, Remus!" Darcy grabbed his hand tightly. "You mustn't believe _anything_ bad he says about you! I know the kind of man you truly are!"

Lupin tucked a strand of Darcy's dark red hair behind her ear and chewed on the inside of his cheek. He was reminded of what Mrs. Weasley had said to him; he knew the kind of man Mrs. Weasley thought he was. He knew what everyone else thought of him.

"You're a sweet, caring man who puts others before himself. You aren't here for you," Darcy said, blinking away her tears. "You're here for us."

"For _you_," he managed to spit out quietly.

"I need you to stay here tonight."

"With you?"

"With me," she repeated. "Just one night. I need you to."

Lupin kissed her cheek quickly. "Okay."

* * *

><p>"Harry," Ron whispered. "You shouldn't have said that stuff to him."<p>

Hermione was holding a chunk of ice wrapped in a shirt of Harry's to the back of his head, where it had hit the brick wall. "He's right," Hermione said, glancing out into the sitting room to see Lupin and Darcy talking. They were sitting on the couch; Darcy's legs were tucked underneath her and they were facing each other. Darcy was smiling. They were having a thumb war. "You shouldn't have said any of that stuff to him in front of Darcy. Didn't you see her face? I thought she was going to throw up everywhere!"

"He deserved what I said and I stand by it," Harry protested.

"Come on, mate," Ron said to him. "You know half the reason he's doing this is because he wants Darcy. Don't tell me you can't see that."

"I'm not going to let him have her back and then do what he did to Tonks," Harry snapped. "It's wrong and I don't want my sister having to go through that."

"If it was Darcy carrying Remus's child, then it would be different, I think," Hermione said softly. "He wouldn't be as worried because he knows that Darcy would love that child no matter what it was."

"Well, it's _not_ Darcy's child," Harry growled. "So it doesn't matter." The three of them shuffled up the stairs and left Darcy and Lupin in peace.

Darcy smiled awkwardly at Lupin. "I'm so sorry," he whispered to her, shaking his head slowly.

"Sorry isn't going to fix anything," Darcy replied surprisingly calm. "Because you're not sorry, Remus. You're not sorry that you married Tonks and you're not sorry that you're having a family with her. You're just scared. That's all."

"So Harry was right. I am a coward. I ran away because I'm scared," Lupin said, looking away from Darcy and examining the old, dusty clock on the mantelpiece across the room. "He was right."

"It's okay to be scared," Darcy shrugged, pinning his thumb while he wasn't paying attention. They began another thumb war. "I'm scared."

"But you're not running away from your problems like I am. You're facing them. That takes great courage, Darcy."

"I've ran away from my problems for several years and now I've grown up and I've got to face them. You can still go back to Tonks, you know. She will always take you back no matter what you do. She loves you very much."

"I want to stay with you," he pleaded gently.

"You should have thought about that before you married Tonks," Darcy sighed loudly and felt the sting of tears building up in her eyes again, but she held back the sob and swallowed the large lump in her throat. "But it's for the better that you're with her, I think. You'll find out why soon."

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I really am. I regret everything I've done to you and I wish I could make it better. Please, what can I do?"

"Just stay here with me," she began, holding her left hand up. Lupin pressed his palm to her's and they laced their fingers together. He pinned her thumb. They began again. "For as long as you can."

"Okay."

"This is silly, isn't it?" she giggled and Lupin gave her a confused look, pinning her thumb again. They started another thumb war yet again. "Playing this stupid thumb war game while we're in real danger? There's a real war going on."

"I don't think it's silly. Just because there's a war going on doesn't mean you can't take ten minutes to have fun."

"I suppose you're right, but I'm still terrified. I've never been so scared before," Darcy sighed, losing her focus and pulling her hand away from Lupin's. "My heart is beating twelve times faster than it used to and every time I hear a stupid little noise, I say my prayers and get ready to die. Everything puts me on edge. It's so terrifying."

"I wish I could do something to reassure you," Lupin shrugged slightly. "Anything?"

"There is something you could do for me. Right now."

"What is it?"

"Hold me for as long as you can."

"Okay." He let go of her hand and pulled her onto his lap. She nuzzled her face into his warm neck and he felt his heart race. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed, placing a light kiss on her forehead. She shut her eyes.

"And don't let go."

He held her tighter. "Okay."

He thought she had fallen asleep and he listened to the slow breaths she was taking and he swallowed loudly. He jumped slightly when she spoke again. "What would you say to me if we got married?" A small smile played at her lips and their eyes locked.

"I – I don't know."

"Well, what did you say to Tonks?"

"We didn't say anything. We didn't exchange vows."

"Why not?"

"I didn't know what to say. And the wedding was so rushed anyway."

Darcy fell silent again and Lupin held her closely. Her eyes were still shut and he felt tears in his own eyes. He wasn't sure of their future and that terrified him more than anything. He didn't know if she was going to live or die. He didn't know if she'd come home ever again.

Lupin suddenly felt as if he had fallen in love with Darcy Potter all over again. He realized how well their bodies fit together, as if molded for each other. Her lips were touching the skin on his neck and he felt chills run down his spine. He hadn't realized that his fingertips were pressing hard into her body until she chuckled and her hot breath on his skin made him a bit aroused. He shifted her position a little so she wouldn't feel him underneath her. He blushed.

"You're hurting me," she said and he let go quickly. "You're alright." Darcy moved and then her face flushed as she felt him growing beneath her. He looked away from her and retracted his arms from around her waist.

Darcy wanted him more than anything. The conflict she felt sitting there in his lap was unbearable. No one would know… She touched the sides of his face and kissed his lips. He pulled away from her slightly, hoping she wouldn't do it again, but it happened and she pressed her lips to his neck, kissing up and down, all along his jaw. She was gentle and just feeling her soft lips brush against his skin was enough to make him want her even more. But he knew it was wrong. He tried to protest, but he wasn't very assertive at all. "Darcy… Darcy, this can't happen… You know this is wrong…" he breathed and licked his lips. She ran her fingers through his sandy brown hair. "Don't make me do this… Darcy…"

She cut him off with a soft kiss on his lips and he clenched his fists.

"Darcy, this can't happen…" he tried to push her off, but his hands couldn't touch her. He knew touching her would drive him crazy. What had he gotten himself into? It was partially his fault. He had invited it. He had held her and kissed her forehead. He had come back to see her. He knew this was happen. He tried to deny it, but secretly, Lupin knew that this would happen. He knew something would happen with Darcy again and deep down, he knew that he wanted it to happen. After all, this could well be the last time they'd see each other… no one would know… would they?

Before he had time to kiss her back, Darcy closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Lupin's, a tear rolling down her cheek. Lupin sat up straight and touched her face, panicking a little.

"What's wrong?"

"This is wrong. It's so wrong. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean – I know – it's my fault –" Darcy stood up and ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at it. "I'm sorry."

Lupin remained seated on the couch. He watched her staring out the window; three cloaked men were standing in the courtyard and even though Darcy knew they couldn't see her, she shut the curtain, her heart pounding. The small moon provided hardly any light in the living room and Lupin flicked his wand, lighting all the candles and the fire place. "Darcy, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I don't want to be the other girl. You shouldn't have come – I'm glad you did – but you shouldn't have come. You knew this would happen. We both knew it."

"I won't deny it," Lupin replied, standing up and walked over to her. "But I had to come. I had to see you one last time. The last time – when we talked – that wasn't good enough for me. I came here to see you."

Darcy thought for a moment and fell into Lupin; he wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest, holding him close to her. Lupin rested his chin atop Darcy's head and sighed loudly.

"I didn't mean to get her pregnant," Lupin said shyly. "Having children was never something I wanted. I don't want any innocent child being afflicted with my disease."

Her blood boiled with anger and her stomach was "I've always wanted children," Darcy said into his chest. "I'd name them after my parents."

"You're upset, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm upset," Darcy replied. "I'm angry and sad and I feel sick because of it. But unfortunately, there isn't anything I can do about it now. It's your family and I have no right intruding on your marriage."

Lupin narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Now that I've left the Burrow," said Darcy. "I understand that this is real. I can't be bothered by things like – I can't be bothered by _you_. I'm sorry, but Harry needs to come first."

"I know." Lupin kissed the top of her head. "I know."


	10. The Ministry Hag

**THE MINISTRY HAG.**

Harry was awake first. Hermione was on the couch, just like she always was; Ron was on the floor beside her and their hands were almost touching, almost like they had fallen asleep holding hands. He then glanced to his sister, who was sleeping on the floor to the right of Harry's best friend. To the right of Darcy, where Harry had slept the previous nights, was Lupin.

Although they weren't touching, they slept awfully close together and faced each other. Harry felt a lurch in his stomach. Was he doing the right thing in separating them? Lupin was a married man and he was going to be a father soon and Harry couldn't just steal Lupin away from his family. And he promised Dumbledore he wouldn't tell anyone besides Darcy, Ron, and Hermione about the Horcruxes.

But was he thinking about Darcy at all? He had to admit, she had sacrificed a lot for him and he was thankful for such a wonderful sister. He was first to her – he came before herself and he admired that about her. She deserved to be happy. She had never smiled as much as she did with Lupin and by telling him that he couldn't accompany them, it was like Harry was tearing Darcy away from her main source of happiness.

Darcy stirred and shifted slightly. Her hand touched Lupin's and he, feeling something brush against his skin, stirred as well, but neither of them moved away.

There was no doubt in Harry's mind that Lupin loved Darcy and wanted to be with her, but even Harry had to admit that there were so many things Tonks could give him that Darcy couldn't. Security – with Darcy on the run and hunting Horcruxes, Lupin would constantly have to worry about if she was dead or alive. Tonks was also giving him a child and even though Harry didn't know Lupin as well as his sister did, he knew Lupin would never walk away from his own kid.

Harry inwardly cursed and scolded himself for secretly wishing it was Darcy who was married to him and providing him a child. He felt guilty. He felt guilty for stealing away his sister. Harry just wanted a family. He had his sister, but he was jealous of Ron's family. He wanted a big family who he could love and who would love him in return. Although, Ron didn't have a special bond with any of his siblings like Harry had with Darcy and Hermione was an only child.

He was no longer upset about Darcy's attack on him the night before. Harry realized that he had been wrong, accusing Lupin of simply using Darcy as a reminder of his past. It was obvious he loved her; it was written all over his face.

Harry closed his eyes; he felt lonely.

"Harry, just leave them alone. Let them sleep," Hermione said when the three of them had waken. They were eating breakfast – their usual moldy bread – and Darcy and Lupin were still fast asleep.

They had moved closer to each other. Darcy's head was resting against his shoulder and his hand completely covered her's. Ron nodded, agreeing with Hermione. "It's their way of saying goodbye to each other, mate. Let them sleep."

"You're trying to tell me that sleeping together is their way of saying goodbye?" Harry asked quietly, noticing that Lupin had laced his and Darcy's fingers together.

"You're going to miss Ginny, aren't you?" Hermione snapped and Harry felt sick to his stomach, nodding tensely. "They've been together much longer than you and Ginny! Think of what he's going through! He's been trying to protect her for so long and now he's losing her, not exactly sure what's going to happen to her."

Lupin, however, was quite awake, his eyes still shut. Darcy, still sound asleep, curled up against his body and Lupin breathed in deeply and sighed contently. When he heard the three teenagers go upstairs, he opened his eyes and looked down at Darcy sleeping.

He had never found Lily Potter attractive and he never had fallen in love with her while he knew her, and he wasn't about to deny that he found it extremely odd that her daughter and replica lay in his arms. There she was, the brilliant, kind, caring girl that he had come to love, cuddled next to his body. It was like she had gotten even more beautiful since the day they had met at the Burrow.

If she hadn't shown the intelligence she did and if she hadn't shown Lupin how to love himself, he would never have given her a second glance. But with her personality, she was beautiful and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her all over and hold her forever. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

Who would have thought that Lily and James's daughter would fall in love with him? He held her close as if letting go meant certain death. Lupin thought Darcy to be the most amazing person and he wondered why he hadn't married her sooner. Why hadn't he asked her the first day they met? Harry's outburst the night before about having children with Darcy; it tugged at his heartstrings. It could have been her – it could have been _their_ child.

Lupin was terrified at the thought. He was already insane about having a werewolf child with Tonks; he would never in his right mind put Darcy through the worry of having a child like that with him. But somehow, he knew that Darcy wouldn't care what the child was or looked like. That was the wonderful thing about her – she had love in her heart for everything and everyone, even if they didn't have it in them to love themselves.

He knew he was in love with her. For the first time in his life, it didn't bother him that he was a werewolf or married or old. She fully accepted it the night she had found out and he didn't think there was a person out there who could do that besides his best friends. What's more, she offered to take care of him. He was eternally grateful and wished he could do more for Darcy, but knew he couldn't. She didn't mind that he had no money, no home, and basically no identity because of his status. All that mattered to her was that he returned her unconditional love. And he did.

Remus Lupin had never been more in love with anyone else before and he needed to hold her one last time. He needed to memorize the shape of her body and how it felt against his, the feel of her hair, the softness of her skin. He needed to burn the exact green of her eyes into his brain; count the number of freckles on her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. He needed to know one last time what it felt like to have her arms around him and his around her. He wanted her to cry so it could be him to tell her everything was all right, but most of all, he wanted her to tell him she'd miss him so he could promise he'd wait and be completely and absolutely honest with her, even if she didn't believe him.

Darcy stirred and her eyes fluttered open. Lupin began counting the freckles.

_One, two, three, four…_

She looked at him for a long time and even debated kissing him. His lips looked so soft, but her guilty conscience wouldn't like that. He had a family now.

_Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine_.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, smiling slightly. His eyes met her's.

"Counting your freckles."

Her face turned bright red and she buried her face in his chest.

"No, no," he chuckled, touching her chin and gently lifting her face so he could look right into her eyes. "I like them. I think they're cute." She looked away and licked her lips, placing her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat. She slipped a hand underneath his shirt and placed her palm on his chest, directly over his heart. He shivered.

"I've been thinking," Darcy said. "A lot lately, actually. And I was just wondering… what if – what if we don't win?"

Lupin thought for a moment. "Well, I'm not going to lie and tell you I haven't thought about it before," he sighed. "But if he does win, then I'll still be here."

"How can I trust that you'll still be here even if we win?"

Lupin swallowed. "Because I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have. I'm done lying."

* * *

><p>"Be safe," Lupin said, touching her cheeks and kissing both her cheeks. Darcy nodded sadly as Lupin grabbed his traveling cloak and wrapped it around himself. "All of you, be safe." He shook hands with Harry and Ron, hugged Hermione, and then walked up to Darcy one last time. He nodded and she met his eyes. They hugged for a few seconds longer than he hugged Hermione, and then he pulled away. "I believe in you four. Good luck."<p>

He kissed Darcy's forehead tenderly and then went out the front door quietly, disappearing on the front step.

* * *

><p>The four were lounging about in the living room. Ron was poking at the lit fire, Hermione was once again reading the book Dumbledore had left her, Harry was dozing on the ratty couch, and Darcy was seated at the out of tune piano, staring numbly at the black and white keys. Suddenly, a crack echoed from downstairs in the kitchen and Harry nearly rolled off the couch at the loud sound.<p>

They raced down the stairs, Darcy in the lead, and found Kreacher standing on the table, struggling with Mundungus. As the short, balding man held up his wand, Hermione flicked her's. "_Expelliarmus_!" she cried. Mundungus's wand flew from his hand and she caught it in her left hand. The four held their wands up, pointing at his face.

"What have I done?" Mundungus screeched. "What are you playing at? _Let me go_!"

"Kreacher apologizes for the delay," Kreacher bowed and backed off the man, standing beside Harry and Darcy. "Mundungus knows how to avoid capture."

"You've done brilliantly, Kreacher," Darcy complimented him and he bowed lower to the ground.

"Well, we've got questions for you," Harry said coldly and stuck the tip of his wand into Mundungus's cheek. He looked a bit pale.

"Look, I panicked that night, alright?" Mundungus shouted. "No offense, but I never volunteered myself to die for you!"

"It's not about that!" Darcy retorted.

"Then why are you setting a bloody house elf on me?"

"Just shut up and listen!" Harry yelled. Everyone's heart was pounding with adrenaline. It had been a few days of absolutely nothing and the four were now so excited that they were going to get _some_ kind of clue about _something_ from Mundungus. "When you went through this house and took everything that you thought was valuable – don't deny that you did it – and when you opened up this cupboard, was there a locket there?"

"Why?" Mundungus asked eagerly. "Is it valuable?"

"You've still got it!" Hermione cried.

"No," Ron replied. "He's wondering whether he should have asked for more money for it."

"More?" Mundungus snorted. "No choice, did I? I gave it away!"

"Gave it away?" Darcy asked, clenching her free hand.

Mundungus rolled his eyes. "I was in Diagon Alley and this woman comes up and asks if I have a license for trading in magical artifacts. She was gonna take me in, but then she took a fancy to this locket, right? She said if I gave it to her, she'd let me off this time."

"Who was it?" urged Harry, getting more and more excited. Darcy felt something brush against her leg and she looked down. The ugly house elf held onto a copper cooking pan and was hiding behind her leg, ready to smack Mundungus atop the head.

"I don't know!" Mundungus answered rudely. "Some ministry hag! With a bow on her head! Looked a bit like a bloody toad!"

Darcy's wand fell to the floor and Kreacher lunged for it, holding it back up for her, staring at Mundungus as if he thought the bald man would steal it. Her eyes went wide and she looked around quickly at the three. They all looked just as shocked as Darcy.

Kreacher took this as his opportunity to hit Mundungus with the pan and Darcy reached out for the cloth wrapped around his small body. She grabbed it and pulled him back to her side. Mundungus let out a cry and held his head, moaning.

Darcy took her wand back from Kreacher, uttering a soft 'thank you' before breathing in. She held up her wand to Mundungus and it began to glow red. "Go," she snapped. "We don't need you anymore."

Hermione threw Mundungus his wand and without hesitation, he closed his eyes. Still holding his head, he Disapparated before their very eyes.

* * *

><p>Harry had come back to Grimmauld Place with a stolen Daily Prophet the next day, September 1st. The three were oddly silent as they awaited Harry's return. The Hogwarts Express would be leaving that day at precisely 11 o'clock that day, as it always did. Darcy wondered how many people would be on the train; she wondered how many people would actually be returning to Hogwarts that year. There was no doubt in her mind that Luna, Ginny, and Neville were all sitting together, planning and plotting how they were going to overthrow the new Headmaster.<p>

That day's Prophet had a new article about Snape's rise to Headmaster. Darcy's stomach churned and she felt the urge to be sick, but calmed herself by eating some of Kreacher's onion soup, which was the best she had ever had.

"The Muggle Studies professor resigned?" Hermione laughed nervously. "I doubt that. Snape probably shipped her off to Voldemort to be killed."

Everyone looked up at Hermione, whose face had gone ghost white. Ron moved closer to her and looked over her shoulder. "At least we know where to find Snape now," Harry sighed, leaning back in his chair. "He'll probably keep himself locked up in Dumbledore's study, trying to sort through all those valuable items –"

"Oh!" Hermione gasped and she jumped up from her seat. "I forgot something! I'll be right back!"

The three sat around the table silently. Darcy stared at the moving picture of Snape on the front of the newspaper and she grabbed it, staring down at the hook nosed man looking back at her. "You don't plan on killing him, do you?" Ron asked wearily and Darcy bit down on her bottom lip.

"I don't want to kill anyone that doesn't deserve to be killed," Darcy replied, handing the paper to Ron, who was across from her. "We have a mission and that's to destroy Voldemort, no one else."

Harry's hand shot up to his forehead, but he played it off by running his fingers through his jet black hair. Darcy eyed him suspiciously.

"But if a few innocent people get hurt…" Ron folded his hands on the table before him and licked his lips. "This is war, Darcy. You can't really be expecting everyone to be standing out of the way so we can beat You-Know-Who? There are going to be obstacles we'll have to cross and people we'll have to fight and if people get hurt – even killed – then we can't let that stop us. I'm not saying it has to be Snape, but still…"

Darcy breathed in deeply and heard Hermione rush back into the kitchen. She was holding a large portrait; there was no one – there was nothing in it – except for a green background. She stuffed it into her small bag and it fell to the bottom with a crash against the books.

"Er – what was that, exactly?" Darcy asked.

"Phineas Nigellus," Hermione replied, closing her bag again. "Snape might want to send him snooping in the house to see if anyone has been here… well, we can't have that happening. Now if Phineas were to come to this painting, all he'd see would be the inside of this bag!"

Ron smiled. "Brilliant."

* * *

><p>Tensions were running high at the Weasley household. Charlie was on edge, constantly holding his wand in his hand. On the Weasleys' clock, the hand with Ron's smiling face on it held its place at 'MORTAL PERIL'. Mrs. Weasley avoided looking at it whenever she could and was always finding busy work for herself to do; she was always knitting, or cooking, or cleaning, or gardening, trying to act as if everything was okay.<p>

Bill and Fleur had escaped and gone off by themselves to start their new life. Lupin was to be trusted as their secret-keeper. Lupin and Tonks stayed at the Burrow for a little while at the request of Mr. Weasley. He needed help keeping his poor wife sane; he wasn't exactly doing great, either. Mr. Weasley had lost weight and his face was pale as the moon. The whole household could have been zombies.

However, Lupin hardly did anything to cheer Mrs. Weasley up. He spent most of his days cooped up in he and Tonks's bedroom, sulking and tearing through each day's paper, trying to find some news about Darcy – or anyone else. No one pretended not to notice. Everyone talked about it while Lupin wasn't listening, but no one had the heart to say anything to Lupin.

Mrs. Weasley did.

One day, while Tonks went off to work at the Ministry and Mr. Weasley was gone at work, it was only Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, and Lupin in the house. Lupin was, yet again, locked in his bedroom, the day's newspaper already torn apart and thrown on the ground. Mrs. Weasley opened his bedroom door without knocking and saw that Lupin was sitting with his back to her, staring out the window that faced the path to the Lovegood home. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, not aware that Mrs. Weasley was watching him.

"Remus?" Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat and crossed her arms.

Lupin didn't say anything.

"I can't let you – this can't happen. We all know it. I can't let you sob over her anymore," Mrs. Weasley said from his doorway. Lupin continued to look out the window, not wanting to turn around and meet her eyes. "It's unhealthy. I'm sure Darcy will be fine. James and Lily wouldn't want you to watch over like this – like a hawk."

Lupin had had it. He stood up and clenched his fists, not really thinking before speaking. Mrs. Weasley saw the wolfish features in his sickly face. She didn't back down. She stood where she was, completely motionless. "That's what you don't understand! And you never will!" Lupin said loudly, trying to restrain himself. "Darcy isn't just James and Lily's daughter! She isn't just Harry Potter's sister to me! She's – she's – she's…"

Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows as Lupin stopped himself. He couldn't say anymore – he was a married man with a child on the way! What was he even going to say about her? The fact that he loved her? She was the greatest gift he had ever gotten? A miracle that just happened to be the daughter of his best friend? The one person who had ever put him before themselves and she was gone. He didn't want Mrs. Weasley to think that Tonks wasn't the one for him because, knowing the red headed woman, she would blab to her husband, who would announce it at the worst time in the world.

"She's just Darcy. She'll always be and she always has been _just_ Darcy to me."

Mrs. Weasley sighed. "I know where you went a few days ago. Don't deny it. You went to see Darcy."

Lupin said nothing. He sat back down on the bed and hung his head. "I don't deny it. But it was a mistake! A stupid mistake! I shouldn't have gone back there!" He held his head in his hands. "I knew what was going to happen! I knew that my feelings for her would just – just – come back! And yet, I still went to her!" Mrs. Weasley didn't speak; she simply watched as Lupin stood up and began to pace back and forth, looking extremely disgruntled. "I love her! I love her and she loves me and she insists that we can't be together because – because – because only God knows why!"

Mrs. Weasley frowned and Lupin finally turned around and looked at her again. Tears swam in his eyes and he shook his head.

"I have to go. I have to leave. Dora will never love me because of this."

Lupin made to leave, but Mrs. Weasley blocked the doorway and he stopped, not wanting to hurt her by pushing past. "She won't know," Mrs. Weasley told him quietly. "No one will tell her. Besides, I do believe that everyone knows already. You've spent a few years with her."

"A few is not enough. I'll never be able to spend enough years with her," whispered Lupin, instantly regretting saying it. He looked away from Mrs. Weasley, who looked at him as if what he had just admitted didn't surprise her. "It's not about simply being with her; it's about protecting her from all the danger she's always and constantly in. She scares me, Molly, but sitting here, not knowing where she is or what's happening to her – that's more terrifying than anything."

Mrs. Weasley seemed stuck. She seemed half understanding, but half upset. Lupin wasn't completely sure. "You know that you can't go find her now," Mrs. Weasley said softly. "It's too late."

"It's _not_ too late."

"Are you forgetting that you've got a family now?"

"I certainly haven't forgotten!" Lupin shouted, making Mrs. Weasley jump. "You spent most of the time telling Darcy how wrong I was for her and how we shouldn't be together and now you've got a change of heart! So suddenly!"

"I made a huge mistake in saying those things," Mrs. Weasley admitted with a tint of red spreading to her cheeks. "I thought that you two were together for completely the wrong reasons, but I was wrong!"

Lupin bit his lip and tried to hold his tongue. "It's probably your fault she left me! She probably listened to you about how I couldn't be trusted or something and that's why she left me. I'm sure of it!"

Lupin gently pushed past Mrs. Weasley and ran down the stairs, leaving her in the doorway of his bedroom. She heard the front door open and slam shut.

* * *

><p>"I've been thinking," Darcy said as Harry walked into the kitchen. Ron and Hermione were already fast asleep in the living room, but the two Potters couldn't sleep. They were much too nervous and anxious about still being in hiding.<p>

"Not your greatest strength," Harry teased and Darcy smiled faintly. "But continue."

"You're a riot," she looked him in the eye and he nodded, raising his eyebrows and taking the cup of water in front of Darcy, gulping it down as if he hadn't drank in months. "But Umbridge has the locket."

"Yes. And we have no way of getting it."

"Yes we do." Darcy licked her lips and folded her hands on the table in front of her. Harry was seated across from her and he put the mug down, looking interested. "But it's risky. Very risky. And it needs to be done quickly."

"Please don't tell me you're thinking of –"

"Breaking into the Ministry?"

"That's what I was afraid of," Harry said, shaking his head. "It's no use. That'll never work. We'll have to find a different way. Perhaps Mundungus can – or Dobby – or Kreacher –"

"If we plan it well," Darcy continued. "Then we'll be able to get the locket and get out of there. We can return here after. No one knows this place exists except for the Order and –"

"But when word gets out that we've broken into the Ministry, they're going to want to kill all of us even more," Harry argued. "And Snape knows this place exists. He could lead them right to us. It's possible he's already told them we're here."

"He wouldn't tell them," Darcy insisted, although she wasn't sure why she was so sure of herself. "Listen, Hermione's got some of that Polyjuice Potion left from Mad-Eye, right?" Harry nodded. "We've been watching the entrance for days now trying to catch just a glimpse of Umbridge. We know how to get in. We'll just grab some hairs from some Ministry workers and walk in together. We'll be led in Umbridge in no time."

"And how exactly would we get the locket?"

"I don't – I don't know, yet. We'll have to play that part by ear."

Harry sighed. "When do you expect to put this plan to the test?"

Darcy blinked a few times and shrugged. She chuckled nervously. "Tomorrow."


	11. Missing You

**Hello, good people! I'm sorry that I haven't been updating regularly, but that will change. Working has really taken a toll on me. I've been stressed and I really didn't feel like writing, but now that I have been writing again, I realize it's a great stress reliever! Anyway, this chapter is kind of boring. Shows how different Lupin and Darcy's lives are now that they're apart. Oh well. I hope you enjoy it! Also, I hope you all had a great holiday and have a happy new year!**

**MISSING YOU.**

"I understand what you're going through."

Nymphadora Tonks bounced into the bedroom, her normally spiky, pink hair was long, straight, and brown. Lupin was lying down on the double bed, his heads behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He jumped when he heard her normally loud voice speak in the gentlest tone he had ever heard her speak in. She sat down beside him and he moved over a little bit so she had more room to sit.

"I understand it completely," Tonks said again.

Lupin was quiet. He felt guilty uttering the lips from his mouth, but he meant them. "No, you don't." He didn't know why he was being so cold towards his wife, but when he spoke, the words were icy. Tonks lowered her eyes and looked at the floor. "You don't understand it so stop saying you do."

"I want to understand, though," Tonks told Lupin. She touched his stomach, but he flinched and she brought her hand back to her own lap. "Because I love you."

"Just because you love me doesn't mean you automatically understand the pain I feel," Lupin told her seriously, still staring up at the ceiling. "It doesn't mean you understand me."

"It does," Tonks protested. "I've been married to you for nearly a month now and you're still in love with another girl. You don't think I feel pain? While you're missing another woman – who also happens to be my best friend – I'm over here missing _you_."

"I'm not in love with her," Lupin shot back. Tonks looked at him skeptically. "You don't realize that Darcy and Harry are the only Potters left. If they die, it's like losing James and Lily all over again!"

"Remus," she sighed. "Do you love her?"

"No!" he replied, sitting up and looking her straight in the eye. "I don't love her! I married you because I bloody love you! If I loved her, I would have married her already!"

* * *

><p>"It's just like, depressing," Darcy muttered, commanding her queen to move across the chess board. Ron sat across from her, quietly pondering his next move. The fire in the fireplace was roaring and the two had hot cups of tea beside them. "Depressing to be alone."<p>

"You're not alone, though," Ron replied, moving his knight to destroy her pawn. "You've got me and Hermione and Harry."

"You know exactly what I mean, Ron," said Darcy, shrugging her shoulders and taking the broken pieces of her pawn off the chess table. She pulled her knees to her chest and thought for a moment. "You know what I mean and don't avoid it. I'm going to need _someone_ to talk to."

"And it's got to be me?"

"Is that alright?" Darcy looked up.

"Why me?" asked Ron and she didn't answer him. Ron chuckled slightly. "I remind you of Charlie. Is that it?" When Darcy simply smiled, Ron laughed harder. "That's exactly it! You know, I'm nothing like Charlie! I can't be trusted!"

"You are just like your brother!" teased Darcy. "You've got the same nose…" She touched her own nose and examined Ron's face carefully. "And the exact same eyes… and your ears stick out just like his, too. Plus your hair is red – his hair is red, too."

"All Weasleys have red hair," Ron raised his thin eyebrows. "And yeah, me and Charlie look almost as similar as Fred and George."

"You two could be twins."

"One pair of twins is enough for an entire family." Ron continued on with their chess game, but Darcy kept staring at him. Ron looked back up at her and shook his head, running his hands through his hair. His ginger hair stood up straight. "You're serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

"You're going to start telling me all your problems because I look like Charlie?" Ron shook his head again before throwing his head back and letting out a 'ha!'. "Darcy, I'm seventeen years old. You think I have the mental capacity to not only listen to your problems, but to help? I'm sorry, but if it's help you're looking for, you're better off going to Hermione. I mean, she's not that great of help, but she's the only one of us three that'll give logical advice."

"I don't need logical advice – I don't need advice at all. I just need someone to listen."

"I'm afraid that you're going to be disappointed. I may be Charlie in looks, but I am nothing like him personality wise." Ron paused the chess game and picked up his mug of tea, which was lukewarm. Once he took a few sips, he continued. "What do you even like about Charlie? I think he's rather annoying to be honest."

"Annoying? You hardly see him!" Darcy giggled. "He's always in Romania."

"Yeah, but he's the typical older brother," Ron sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "It's nice when he's away. I like him, then. But when he comes home, he just bosses me around and points out everything I do wrong and he criticizes it!"

"Oh, come on," Darcy said seriously. "Every older sibling does that. Even I do that with Harry sometimes, although I try not to. You can't sit here and tell me you don't do that with Ginny sometimes."

"I don't."

"You did it when she and Harry started dating," Darcy reminded Ron and his face flushed a deep red. "You were so mad at her and said she could do better… I don't think she could, by the way. I've raised Harry to be a gentleman and would you really want your sister dating someone who you don't know at all?"

"Alright, you got me there. But still, I'm nothing like Charlie. He's a right git, if you ask me," Ron said, taking another long sip of his tea. "Look, the thing is, he thinks he's better than everyone else in the family because he's got an amazing job working with the bloody dragons. But the truth is, his job isn't as amazing as he thinks. Bill is a curse-breaker which is the coolest bloody job in the world and dad works at the Ministry – which is a nice job – and Fred and George run their own business. They probably make more money than the whole family combined!"

Darcy was quiet. She stared into the fire.

"And what'll happen to me? What'll be my job?" Ron asked, laying back on the floor and breathed out heavily. "I'll probably be dead by the end of the year. We don't stand a chance, do we?"

"We can't think like that," Darcy told him. "We can't. If we think like that, we'll be dead even sooner."

"Yeah, but you can't tell me you haven't thought about it," Ron said and Darcy closed her eyes, feeling déjà vu. How many times had she thought about it? Too many. She had thought about dying too often lately. "You can't say you've been one hundred percent certain that we're going to succeed. It's a low chance of surviving we've got, you know."

"I – I don't know. I couldn't tell you what I've been thinking. It's been so difficult to think at all." She thought. "It's hard. Sometimes I feel like it would just be easier to hand myself over to him. To Voldemort. It would save me a shit load of trouble, but it'd make everyone else's life hell." Guilt gnawed at Darcy's stomach as she said it, although Ron said nothing and seemed to agree with her. Her thoughts had gotten darker, though, and she often found herself wishing to put Harry out of his troubles and then herself. That would be one thing she'd never admit to anyone but herself.

"I understand what you're going through," said Ron suddenly and Darcy looked at him. "Having someone you love be in so much danger. I think all of us feel the same way, to be frank. It's not just you. You're just the only one who's brave enough to admit your feelings."

"It makes me feel weak," admitted Darcy. "I feel like you all are judging me and I feel like you're all afraid I'm going to be too scared to do something."

"That's the main difference between you and Harry personality wise, I think," Ron began and Darcy raised her eyebrows, very interested in what Ron was about to say. "Harry doesn't like to admit his feelings that much. He likes to keep to himself, but you're not afraid to say what you think and how you feel."

"That's very thoughtful. I wouldn't have ever expected that from you, Ron Weasley."

"I can be thoughtful when I want to be." He rolled over on his stomach and eyed the chessboard that held only a few pieces left. He didn't reach for a piece, even though it was his turn. Darcy drank her cold tea. Ron looked at her. "You don't miss Charlie, though. I can see right through you, Darcy."

"I _do_ miss Charlie. He turned out to be an excellent friend and I wish I could talk to him right now."

"Ah, of course you miss him, but you miss Lupin, too, don't you? I can see it all over your face."

"Of course I miss him, you idiot," Darcy said quietly. "I love him."

"I think everyone knows that."

"He's probably sitting at my house sobbing because you're not there to give him what he needs."

"And what is it that he needs, exactly?"

Ron smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about and don't you dare deny it."

"_Ron_!" Darcy gasped, clapping a hand to her mouth and turning bright red. "Completely inappropriate!"

"Oh come on, you're much better looking than Tonks!" Ron pursed his lips. "It's the hair… I can't get over the hair. You know, she changes her appearance so much, I don't even know what her normal face looks like."

"Quit exaggerating." Darcy rolled her eyes. "That was very rude."

"I never said she was ugly," Ron stated plainly, laughing and finishing his tea. "I'm just saying. I'm just trying to make you feel better. Is it working?"

"Yeah, a little bit…" she said. "Thanks."

Ron chewed the inside of his cheek. "Look, I may not be the best wizard in the world or the Chosen One or something, but I'm not that bad. I'm glad you're talking to me. It makes me feel like I've got some kind of purpose here."

"Oh, Ron, why would you think you don't have a purpose? There's a reason you're here, you know. If you weren't meant to be here right now with us, Dumbledore wouldn't have put you in his will. You would never have even gotten that Deluminator."

"Hermione is the brightest witch of our age," Ron said. "And Harry is the Chosen One. And you're – you're bloody brilliant and logical and a mixture of both Harry and Hermione, I suppose. And I'm just a Weasley. I haven't done anything amazing."

"Yes, you have. Just because you haven't stabbed any basilisks or fought off a bunch of dementors doesn't mean you're not meant to be here. It doesn't mean you're not good enough." Darcy leaned up against the ratty armchair against the wall of the room and licked her lips. "You don't need to do anything big and incredible to actually be a hero. Some people look at the little things over the years and Dumbledore was one of those people."

Ron looked away from Darcy and towards the fire. "I shouldn't be here. I haven't done anything incredible. I haven't done anything."

Darcy crawled over to Ron and laid down beside him on her stomach. "Do you remember in your first year when we went to get the stone? Do you remember what I did?" she asked him.

"Yeah, you got that potion riddle thing right. That was amazing how you did it on the first try."

"That wasn't nearly as amazing as what you did," Darcy said honestly. "If it hadn't been for you, Harry would have never made it to the stone. Sure, Hermione helped us with the Devil's Snare and Harry flew a broomstick to get a bloody key, but what you did was amazing. That chess game – Ron, that was all you. Even at eleven-years-old you were a hero. Do you know what I was doing at eleven-years-old?"

"Saving Hogwarts students?"

Darcy shook her head. "I was in the common room everyday studying my arse off, trying to get good grades because I thought I'd graduate and become an Auror. I thought I'd live a normal life."

"Things didn't turn out the way you hoped, yeah?"

Darcy laughed. "Not exactly."

"Tell me more, though. Boost my ego, would you?"

"Your second year," Darcy spat out and Ron made to stop her; he was only joking, but she shushed him and continued. "You went down into the Chamber with us and faced your fear of spiders; that was very brave of you."

"It was terrifying, to be honest," Ron chuckled.

"Aragog was the scariest bloody thing I've ever seen in my life," Darcy blurted out. "You don't think I was scared? That thing was huge. I'm honestly quite glad it's dead."

"Same here. I never want to see any kind of insect that big ever again." Ron looked at her. "I think you're quite brave, Darcy. It must take a lot of guts to stick with Harry for this long."

"Ah, I'm his older sister. I have to stick with him. I've got nowhere else to go," she said. "You, on the other hand, have the choice to stick with him. I think that's braver than anything I've ever done. I think it's the bravest thing I've ever seen."

Ron smiled.

"Anyway, kid, I'm going to head down to the kitchen and say goodnight to everyone before going to sleep. I'm knackered." Observing Ron's face once more, she hoped to see as much of Charlie as she could in Ron. The long nose, the freckles, the eyes, the ears, the hair… Darcy kissed the top of Ron's head and stood up, walking out the door.

* * *

><p>Lupin sat on the couch of the Burrow late one night, flipping through the paper from that evening for the second time, looking for the words 'Darcy' or 'Potter' anywhere in the text. He found himself missing her more and more every day – every hour – every second. The fact that she was in mortal danger made him nervous and sick to his stomach. He had never realized how in love with her he really was – or was it because he might not ever see her again? Why hadn't he ever felt like this before?<p>

"Sweetheart? Darling?"

Lupin closed the newspaper slowly and looked to his right. Tonks had stuck her head in the sitting room and she tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "Yes?"

"I'm heading to bed. Are you coming?"

Lupin blinked and then shrugged. "I'm not quite that tired yet. Give me a few minutes. An hour at the most. I'll be up soon."

"Just come lay with me?"

Lupin's heart hurt. He stood up automatically and rubbed his eyes. Tonks smiled weakly and he walked over towards her. She took his hand and led him up the stairs. As he climbed each creaky stair, he realized how tired he was.

When they entered the bedroom, Lupin kicked off his old shoes and without even taking his clothes off, laid down on the bed, assuming his normal position on his back with his hands behind his head. Something caught his eye and he looked at his wife again. Her hair had turned a turquoise color and she was smirking.

"Dora? What're you…?"

She was already in pajamas – shorts and a shirt of Lupin's – but she just wasn't content. She slid down her shorts and Lupin didn't know what to say or do. Tonks lifted her shirt and then dropped it on the ground. She walked over to the bed and climbed on top of Lupin, who was still fully clothed. She looked him over quickly and then kissed his neck, biting his skin gently. Lupin closed his eyes and touched her thighs, running his hands further up her legs.

"Dora…"

"I love you." She tore her lips away from his skin and then looked him in the eyes again. "Do you love me?"

Lupin looked at her face. Her eyes were wide and sad, her face colorless and dead. He nodded and licked his lips. "Yes, I do." He wrapped his arms around her thin frame and ran his finger up her spine, but it just wasn't the same.

When he had held Darcy in his arms for what he believed to be the last time – he hoped it wasn't – he could feel that she had gotten thinner. Her spine was defined, unlike Tonks's and although Tonks wasn't fat – she was nowhere near it – Darcy's body was much different. Tonks had larger breasts and larger curves, wide hips and muscular thighs. Darcy had been much more curvaceous the first year they had met, but over the years, her body had gotten smaller due to the stress and depression that surrounded her. Darcy was almost a stick now; the gap between her thighs had gotten slightly bigger and her collarbones and spine were prominent. Her breasts had shrunk and her curves were on the verge of disappearing. Darcy's body was lanky instead of full.

All while he was thinking of Darcy, he had no idea that Tonks was trying to speak to him. She was staring down at him, still straddling his waist. His hands were holding her by her waist and he shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. "I'm sorry?"

Tonks tilted her head. "What were you thinking about?"

"You," he somewhat lied. "You."

"You said that too quickly," she said. "Are you lying?"

"No, I'm not lying," Lupin said, smiling gently. "I love you, Dora. Come here." He reached up and touched her face. He kissed her lips and closed his eyes tight, now picturing the difference between Tonks's lips and Darcy's. He didn't want to think about Darcy, but he couldn't help it now. Darcy's top lip was thin, while Tonks had full lips. Darcy's lips were usually slightly chapped, probably because she licked them when she was nervous, which was often, but he didn't mind a bit. Tonks had wet lips, which made for a sloppy kiss, but he didn't complain.

"Remus…?"

"What?"

"You seem distracted… are you alright?"

"It's just the full moon coming up. I'm not feeling too well."

"You could have just said so and I would have stopped," Tonks bit her lips and climbed off Lupin. She put her clothes back on and got under the covers beside her husband. "I didn't mean to bother you."

Lupin looked at her. "You don't bother me."

"Are you sure?" she chuckled nervously. "Seems like sometimes you can't be bothered with me at all."

"I'm sorry if I seem distant," Lupin said softly, rolling on his side and grabbing her hands. "I don't mean to be, honest. I'm just – stressed. I've spent a few years trying to protect James and Lily's kids and now they're off sacrificing themselves."

Tonks kissed Lupin's fingers. "You can stop lying to yourself. We both know that's not what's got you distracted."

"Don't you believe me?"

"I don't know anymore."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lupin asked, pulling his hands away from her's. He touched her stomach underneath the blankets and rubbed it gently. "I'm excited for this – for _us_. I'm excited to begin my new life with you. I love you, Dora. Believe me when I say it because I mean it."

"You seem so sure of yourself, though," she said. "That's what bothers me. A few days ago you were losing it. You were freaking out. I thought you were going to leave me for good."

"I couldn't do that, darling," he replied, kissing her cheek. "I love you too much."

"Promise you'll be with me forever?"

Lupin continued to rub Tonks's stomach with his fingertips. Hesitantly, he nodded. Tonks swallowed and closed her eyes. "Forever is a long time," he said and she frowned. "Will you get sick of me or will you be able to deal with me for that long?"

"I think I'll be able to manage," she smiled. "You aren't that bad, you know."

"I think you're the only one who thinks that, love."

"You should think more highly of yourself. You're much better than you make yourself out to be."

Lupin grinned. "Really now?"

"Really," repeated Tonks.

"Mind sharing what's so great about me?"

Tonks propped herself up on her elbow and touched his scratchy face. "Your smile." She kissed his lips. "Your laugh." She kissed his nose. "Your eyes." She kissed his cheek. "Your everything." She kissed his lips again.

* * *

><p>"So here's the plan." Darcy unrolled a large piece of paper; a badly sketched map of the Ministry of Magic. Hermione, Ron, and Harry gathered around it. "Hermione, you've still got some of Mad-Eye's Polyjuice Potion, correct?"<p>

Hermione nodded.

"Right, we're all going to Apparate to the Ministry in pairs," Darcy explained. "Harry will take you, Hermione, first underneath the Invisibility Cloak and you'll be hiding here, right outside one of the Ministry entrances." Darcy pointed to a small building outside the large Ministry building. "Harry will come back and get Ron, and then finally, me. Once we're all here, we'll wait for the right moment and pick four unlucky victims."

"And then what?" Ron asked.

"We'll Stun them, leave them there for quite a while," Darcy thought. "Maybe put them to sleep. Take their hairs, their clothes, go into the bathrooms, and then we're in the Ministry.

"Now, Umbridge is the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic – whatever that is," Darcy now pointed inside the bad drawing. "I assume – although I may not be correct – that she'll be on Level One with the Minister. Now, the higher the floor number, the deeper underground you'll be. So we'll start at Level One and if she isn't there, we'll have to work our way down. Splitting up may be an option…"

"Splitting up? Are you mental?" Ron hissed.

"It's a good idea," Hermione interrupted. "The people we'll be impersonating might not even work together. Four strangers walking around won't look normal at all."

"If we must split up, we should go two and two," Harry said. "But let's wait and see who we all turn out to be."

"There's one more thing," Darcy said, looking at them all and rolling the map back up. "You mustn't talk to anyone unless you absolutely have to. Mr. Weasley and Tonks may be working and you cannot speak to them, understood? If one person finds out who we are, we're doomed. If something goes wrong, we all must return here and we'll – we'll try again tomorrow or something. Just act natural."


	12. The Ministry of Magic

**THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC. **

"Quickly, drink," Darcy told them all. With slight hesitation, they all drank a small glass of Polyjuice Potion. Darcy closed her eyes and felt her hair grow longer and get curlier, although it stayed the same shade of red. Her body got wider and her legs stretched. She groaned, feeling the urge to throw up. When she opened her eyes again, her body fit in the clothes she had stolen from the woman. She felt her body and then nodded, grabbing the nametag and golden coin from the real woman she was impersonating. "Edgecombe…"

"It must be Marietta's mother," Hermione said. Darcy looked at her – Hermione was Mafalda Hopkirk and Darcy remembered her as being the woman who sent Harry the letter about his illegal use of his Patronus a few years back. "You know, Cho's friend?"

Darcy nodded and put her nametag on. "Well, I'm Reg Cattermole," Ron said, examining his blue robes that now fit him perfectly. Darcy grabbed three more gold tokens off of Madam Edgecombe and handed one to Hermione, Ron, and then Harry. Darcy jumped at the sight of Harry.

"You definitely look scary," she said and Harry shrugged. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Er – I'm not sure," Harry replied. "He doesn't have a nametag."

"Okay, alright," Darcy interrupted, breathing in deeply and trying to calm herself. "We're going to have to use the loo to flush ourselves in. When you enter the stall, I do believe you use this token." Everyone looked rather disgusted at this. "Hermione and I will meet you inside. Remember, don't speak unless spoken to!"

The four stepped out of the dark, dismal building together, leaving the four Ministry workers Stunned behind the now closed doors. Darcy's hands were sweaty and her forehead was beginning to get a little damp. They all nodded and went their separate ways into the underground public toilet, Hermione and Darcy going into the Ladies and Ron and Harry going into the Gentlemen.

There were lines for every stall and everyone was carrying a briefcase, wearing some sort of fancy robe. The lines were moving fast and Hermione got into the line beside Darcy. They both entered separate stalls at the same time after inserting their token into the door and Darcy stared down into the grimy toilet. She heard Hermione whisper her name and Darcy looked through a hole in the wall to see Hermione's brown eye staring back at her.

"Are you sure we flush ourselves in?" Hermione asked nervously.

"That's what everyone else is doing," breathed Darcy. "Just – just –" Someone knocked loudly on Darcy's stall door. "Just stand in it and flush."

Darcy put her foot in the toilet water, but was surprised when she realized her foot wasn't getting wet. Knowing that she was on the right track, she put her other foot in the toilet; both feet were still dry. She hesitated and when someone knocked on the door again, she pulled the chain and felt herself being pulled down a tight space, almost like Disapparating without all the tugging of body parts. She suddenly was spat out of a fireplace and she brushed herself off, her blue robes wrinkly.

Stumbling in her high heels, Darcy found Hermione immediately and the two walked casually together out of the way of all the other Ministry officials that were entering by way of flushing. It might have been because of all the people, but Darcy felt that the Atrium looked much different from when she was there last. The fountain in the middle was no longer glowing gold and shimmering. It was now scary, with a witch and wizard on thrones being held up by Muggles. Darcy stepped closer to it and read the words engraved in the statue at the bottom.

_Magic is Might._

Darcy felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped and turned around, prepared to hex whoever it was, but after a second, she recognized the tall, muscular man as Harry. Ron was behind him.

"Are you two alright?" Harry asked under his breath.

"Peachy," Darcy replied dully.

Ron licked his lips, looking carefully at the statue. "Are those – er…?"

"Muggles," Hermione said fearfully. "In their rightful place. But no time to explain – let's get going."

The four walked close together, trying not to get separated. They headed towards the lifts and were just about to enter one when someone shouted a name. "Cattermole!"

Darcy stomach dropped as she turned around. A Death Eater who had watch Dumbledore die was walking towards them. All around the four impersonators, Ministry officials had gone silent, some intrigued to watch and some scared. Someone even called out, "Morning, Yaxley!" Although, Yaxley ignored them.

"I requested somebody from Magical Maintenance to sort out my office, Cattermole. It's still raining in there."

Ron opened his mouth. He faltered. "Raining in your office? That's not very good – is it?"

Yaxley's nostrils flared. "You think it's funny, do you, Cattermole?"

"No! No, I –"

"You realize that I am on my way downstairs to interrogate your wife, Cattermole? In fact, I'm quite surprised you're not down there holding her hand while she waits. Already given her up as a bad job, have you? Probably wise. Be sure and marry a pureblood next time."

Hermione had backed into Darcy, whimpering quietly. Yaxley caught her eye, but Hermione just coughed. "Well, I –" Ron stuttered. His face was growing red.

"But if _my_ wife were accused of being a Mudblood – not that any woman I married would ever be mistaken for such filth – and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement needed a job doing, I would make it my priority to do that job, Cattermole. Do you understand me?"

"Ye – yes," Ron nodded slightly.

"Then attend to it, Cattermole, and if my office is not completely dry within an hour, your wife's Blood Status will be in even graver doubt than it is now."

Darcy's back, which was up against a closed lift, felt the doors open and she fell back into the elevator. The other three quickly followed her, all their faces white as ghosts. Harry closed the gates quickly and then began moving up. "What do I do?" Ron panicked. "What do I do? Cattermole's wife – my wife –"

"We'll stick together and come with you," Harry began, but Darcy interjected.

"No!" she said sternly. "We can't stick together! We have one chance at this, Harry. Ron, I'm sorry, but you'll have to do this by yourself. Hermione, Harry, and I will find Umbridge."

Ron agreed. "Alright," he said. "How do I stop it from raining?"

"Finite Incantatum should do the trick," Darcy answered quickly. "But if that doesn't work, then you should probably try something to protect his belongings –"

"Impervius will do that," Hermione finished and Darcy nodded. Ron looked confused, his eyes wide with fear, but before he could ask again, the gates opened to the lift and a female voice said, "Level four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, incorporating Beast, Being, and Spirit Divisions, Goblin Liaison Office, and Pest Advisory Bureau."

Harry gave Ron a push and the gates closed again. Hermione and Harry turned to Darcy. "What do we do now?" Harry asked desperately.

"We split up again," Darcy thought frantically, her brain practically whirring in her head. "I'll head up to Level two, the Law Enforcement floor. I'll search for the locket there. Harry, you go to the first floor with the Minister of Magic – you seem important enough. And Hermione, you'll –"

But the doors opened and the three were dead silent. There she was, standing before them, waiting for the gates. The female voice spoke again, "Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services."

Darcy stared at the woman in pink getting on the lift. Umbridge nodded to her. "Good morning."

"Morning, Dolores," Darcy said, backing out of the lift. She looked at Harry and Hermione in fear as Umbridge looked down at her clipboard. "This is my stop."

Umbridge ignored her and turned to Hermione, who was tense. "Mafalda, I'm so glad they sent you –" The lift jutted up again and Darcy licked her lips and turned around. Before her were two large, wooden doors and she breathed in and pushed them open. She didn't know what to expect, but what she found was an office – a large office. There were cubicles everywhere and on each desk, several flyers were set down.

One was of Harry's face, underneath the moving picture it said: UNDESIRABLE NO. 1.

The other one said: MUDBLOODS AND THE DANGERS THEY POSE TO A PEACEFUL PURE-BLOOD SOCIETY.

Darcy looked away and when she looked up, she felt herself colliding with someone who had just walked around the corner. She stumbled backwards and when she looked up, she was speechless. The color had drained from her face. Mr. Weasley was bent down, gathering up the papers he had just dropped. He stood back up. "So sorry about that," Darcy squeaked and Mr. Weasley gave her a smile. She licked her lips as she always did when she was nervous.

"No worries," Mr. Weasley replied, his smile falling a little. "Funny seeing you on this level, Madam Edgecombe. Looking for someone?"

"Yes, actually –" she said, trying to make her voice different. Mr. Weasley stared at her mouth, looking as if he was thinking.

"Well, if it's Tonks you're looking for, she doesn't know anything about Harry Potter so you should quit asking her."

"I wasn't –" But Darcy forgot to cover up her voice again and Mr. Weasley looked at her suspiciously. He looked away and shook his head, laughing nervously to himself, and then he walked away without saying another word to her. Darcy's heart was racing in her chest and she continued further into the offices. She looked in all the cubicles and she sighed, not finding anything or anyone she needed. As she passed the last cubicle, she froze and took a few steps back. "Nymphadora."

Tonks looked up from her paper and Darcy saw that her face seemed sad and depressed. She looked much older and her hair was brown and a bit greasy. "Madam Edgecombe," she replied quietly, nodding. "How are you?"

Darcy nodded slowly back at Tonks. "I'm alright." Darcy was getting nervous. Her forehead was dampening and she reached up and tucked her hair behind her ears. She rolled her sleeves up. Tonks's eyes flicked to her wrist and then back up into Darcy's own eyes.

Tonks stood up and Darcy stepped back a few small steps. "No," Tonks whispered. "Follow me. I have something you might find useful to me."

Darcy cleared her throat to make her sound more professional. "About the Undesirable?"

Tonks raised an eyebrow. Darcy's voice sounded childish and nervous, not nearly as professional as she tried to make it. "Something of that nature." Tonks began walking towards the back corner of the large office room, but Darcy was rooted to the spot. Tonks turned around. "Come on, Madam Edgecombe. Follow me."

Darcy hesitantly began to follow Tonks at a distance, walking quickly. Tonks approached a small door and grabbed the handle, looked around quickly and entered, beckoning Darcy to follow suit. Darcy walked into the small room. It was filled with extra flyers and all over the wall, Harry's face was staring down at her.

Tonks took out her wand, locked the door and whispered, "_Muffliato_!"

"How do you know that spell?" hissed Darcy.

"It's you," Tonks smiled. "It's _you_."

"It's me! Madam Edgecombe!" Darcy wavered. "I don't know who you think I am!"

"It's _you_!" Tonks breathed excitedly again. She reached down and held up Darcy's wrist. "The bracelet that he gave you – who else would know that spell I just used? It's _you_! It's really _you_!" Tonks's eyes were flooded with tears and Darcy smiled and wrapped her arms around the other woman. "We all thought you were dead already! Everyone is so worried about you!"

"Yes, well, no need to worry, I'm here. I'm alright."

"Where is everyone else? Are you guys still together? Or did you all go your separate ways?"

"No, they're all here," said Darcy in a hushed voice. Even though Tonks had casted Muffliato, Darcy still felt like she could hear someone. "We all split up. I only know that Ron was in Yaxley's office trying to make it stop raining."

"You've got to get out of here quickly," Tonks said, her voice almost inaudible now. She looked around at the pictures of Harry shiftily. "They're all looking for you. If you're caught –"

"We won't be caught. We haven't been yet."

"Please, you have to leave. I don't know what you're here for, but you must get out of here quickly," Tonks whispered, getting close to Darcy's face. "They know. They know you're trying to get into the Ministry."

"What?"

"Mundungus snitched," she said nervously. "They know. You have to leave here."

"I can't!"

"Then let me help you," she said quickly. "Let me help you with whatever it is you need."

"You can't help," Darcy said, and then shortly took it back. "Well, you can help me with this question." Tonks nodded eagerly. "We're looking for a locket… it's yellow and it has an 'S' on it… Umbridge has it, but we don't know where she'd keep it."

"She has it," Tonks answered breathlessly. "It's on her. It's always around her neck. Why?"

"Nothing. We just – we need it." Darcy thought and closed her eyes. "Where can we find Umbridge?"

"She's usually in the courtroom – interrogating suspected Muggleborns. If you go down there, it'll seem suspicious –" Tonks grinned slightly. "Let me go down there."

"No!" Darcy shook her head quickly and Tonks frowned. "You can't! I won't let you do this! Not while you're pregnant! You have to take care of yourself – you've got a family now!"

She lowered her eyebrows. "How did you know I was pregnant?" she asked cautiously.

"Er – Remus let it slip before I left…" stammered Darcy. "Look, we can't talk anymore. I don't know how long I have until the Polyjuice Potion wears off. I have to go. It was nice talking to you."

Darcy turned around and reached for the door handle. "Wait, Darcy," whispered Tonks.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"You know what for. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Darcy replied quietly. "Thank you." Darcy left the room first without looking back. She made her way to the lifts as fast as she could, time ticking quickly. She closed the golden gates before anyone else could join her on the lift and groaned. "Come on, come on, come on…"

When the lifts reached level ten, Darcy sprinted for the doorway to her left and entered it, hustling down the stone steps like she remembered when she had come for Harry's trial before. Halfway down, however, she began to slow down. Her whole body become freezing cold and tired. She felt hopeless… sad… She knew dementors were down there waiting.

She approached the bottom of the stairs and saw that the dementors weren't waiting for her, but they were guarding the suspected Muggleborns, who were holding their faces with their hands, trying to protect themselves. Some had families, but most were alone. She wanted to turn around and go back upstairs into the warm, open Atrium, but she couldn't. She _had_ to fight it and she _had_ to keep going.

Unaware that there was questioning already happening, Darcy entered the courtroom. It was warmer in the courtrooms and although dementors lingered above, the silver cat that was Umbridge's Patronus stayed near the Ministry officials. Umbridge had immediately stopped talking and looked at her. Hermione was seated beside the woman, her hand trembling as she took notes. Ron was standing by a middle aged woman, holding her hand. She was sobbing. Darcy took another quick look around the room, but didn't see Harry. Darcy looked back up at Hermione and Hermione raised her eyebrows and nodded her head to the left. Darcy shook her head slowly, not understanding.

"Madame Edgecombe?" Umbridge asked and Yaxley narrowed his eyes, watching Darcy stand there uncomfortably. "Unless this is of the utmost importance, then I cannot help you at this time."

"No, it's important, er –"

"Have you spotted Harry Potter and that good for nothing sister of his? Have you brought the Mudblood down here for –"

"_Stupefy_!"

A flash of red light had come from over Hermione's shoulder and Umbridge crumpled and hit her head on the balustrade. The cat patronus disappeared and Darcy was suddenly cold as ice again. Darcy leapt towards the balustrade that Umbridge was sitting at and she pulled herself up with the help of Harry's disembodied hand. Yaxley held up his wand and Hermione pointed it at him, "_Stupefy_!"

"Harry! What do you think you're doing?" Darcy was outraged as she climbed up to the post that Umbridge was sitting at. She grabbed the front of Umbridge's pink cardigan and ripped the locket off from around her neck. She held it tightly in her hand.

"I wasn't just going to sit there and let this happen!" Harry shouted and he tore the Invisibility Cloak off her.

"_Harry!_" Ron screamed. Darcy slipped and fell to the floor below all the seats and Harry looked up. Dementors were swarming and Darcy could feel the cold deep in the pit of her stomach. She thought of Lupin and Tonks having a child, she thought of Harry getting hurt, and she gripped the locket harder. She closed her eyes and heard Harry scream, but it seemed distant. She felt like she was being submerged under water, but someone slapped her cheek lightly and the warmth returned to her body. Hermione was bent over her and held Darcy to her feet. Harry's stag Patronus was prancing about the large room, Umbridge and Yaxley still out cold. Mrs. Cattermole was holding on tightly to Ron and Darcy put the locket around her neck.

Harry led everyone out of the courtroom, his Patronus gliding next to him. Darcy took her wand out, touching the locket as often as possible, scared that she might lose it. "Get to the lifts," she whispered in Harry's ear and she turned around to look at Hermione. Her eyes widened. "Hermione – the potion!"

Hermione's hair was lengthening again and getting wavier. Slowly, her face was morphing back to her own original face. She looked back at Harry and saw that he, too, was changing. He was shrinking slowly and sure enough, as Darcy reached up and touched her own face, she could feel her hair growing again and her nose shortening. Her body was becoming thinner, but when she looked at Ron, he had not changed yet.

"Hurry!" hissed Hermione and they crammed themselves into the lifts. Mrs. Cattermole, still ghost white, stared around at everyone and then back up at Ron, who still was Mr. Cattermole.

The lifts brought them up to the Atrium and people hadn't noticed them yet. Hermione, Darcy, and Harry put their heads down, pulling their robes up over their head, but Ron had stopped. Mrs. Cattermole was holding his hands. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Listen, you've got to go home," Ron said in a horrible impersonation of her husband. "Take the kids and you must go into hiding. Do you understand?"

She nodded and in one swift movement, her lips were on his and Harry raised his eyebrows, looking at the two girls beside him. Before their eyes, Ron's blonde hair began to change red again and he began lankier. Mrs. Cattermole pulled away and her eyes widened.

"I'll explain later," Ron muttered, gently pushing her away.

"_Ron_!" hissed Darcy and she pointed towards the lifts. The gates were forced open by a fully un-stunned Yaxley and he hurled a hex at the four. Hermione ducked and pulled Darcy down with her. "Let's go, quickly!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Tonks ran up and down the aisles of the cubicles in the Auror office. She looked around for the familiar red hair and finally, she found Mr. Weasley, crouched down on the floor, trying to pick up the papers that he had dropped once again.<p>

"Mr. Weasley," Tonks whispered breathlessly. He looked up, knocking his head on the corner of his desk in the process. Muffling a loud cry, he rubbed the back of his head.

"What is it, Dora?"

"Come quickly," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet. "_Quickly_!"

"What is it?" he repeated, but he ran behind Tonks as she entered the lifts and proceeded to the Atrium. "What's going on?"

"Just be quiet – don't say anything stupid, okay?"

When the gates opened to the Atrium, Tonks's jaw dropped. People were rushing everywhere and Yaxley was running through the crowd, hurling hexes over everyone's heads. She pushed past all the Ministry workers and Mr. Weasley followed her. What he saw made his eyes water.

They were holding hands; Harry and Hermione leapt into the fireplace, holding hands and there was a quick flash of red. There were two red heads. Darcy was stumbling behind in high heels and Ron had grabbed her hand and pulled her into the fire behind Harry and Hermione, grabbing Hermione's ankle as they dived towards the fireplace.

There was a terrible scream as Darcy realized that Yaxley had hold of her robes and he too was swept up in the green flames as the five of them disappeared.

Mr. Weasley stood there, still and silent. Tonks looked up at him. "They'll be okay," she promised him. "I know Darcy. I know she'll keep them safe."

* * *

><p>Darcy could feel Yaxley holding onto her and she continued to yell, trying to kick and punch him. He grabbed the locket around her neck and pulled it, but it wouldn't break and as she felt her feet touch solid ground, she elbowed Yaxley and he let go of her. Ron grabbed her hand again and they were soon Disapparating again.<p>

Darcy closed her eyes as her body was twisted and squeezed and she felt Ron's grip on her hand tighten and then loosen quickly. She felt for the locket around her necklace. It was still there.

When she opened her eyes, she was on her back, on the ground, staring up at the sky.


	13. A Close Call

**I know I haven't updated in a long time! I'm so sorry, but I've got good reasons, I just can't be bothered to write them down because they're a bit personal, honestly. But I hope this makes up for it and I'll have a chapter with lots of Lupin soon. I promise! Enjoy!**

**A CLOSE CALL.**

_MINISTRY BREAK IN_

_Yesterday morning, the Ministry of Magic suffered a break-in. Many workers recall seeing Darcy, 21, and Harry Potter, 17, along with Mr. Ronald Weasley, 17, and Miss Hermione Granger, 17, Hogwarts dropouts and blood traitors._

_Workers have claimed to have money stolen, missing artifacts, and Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge admits to them having stolen her golden family locket. The reward for the capture of these four young wizards and witches will now be raised one thousand Galleons._

_See more on page B4._

Lupin threw the newspaper down in disgust. "Have you read this?" he shouted to Mr. Weasley, who was only sitting next to him. Mr. Weasley looked over and with a sickly green face, nodded his head. "It's ridiculous! I know them! They wouldn't take any money if they had to! They didn't steal anything!"

"Then why were they in the Ministry?" Mr. Weasley wondered outloud.

"I know they took something," Tonks spoke up from the doorway. She had just walked in with steaming hot tea for both men and they took the mugs gratefully from her. She placed the tea tray on the coffee table and sat down on the rocking chair by the fire. "I talked to Darcy at the Ministry."

Mr. Weasley gave her a look to silence her, but she ignored it. The four were gone from the Ministry and no one knew where they were; what harm could come from telling Lupin? "You talked to Darcy?" both Lupin and Mr. Weasley asked at the same time. Only Lupin continued. "How did you know it was her?"

Tonks hesitated and pursed her lips. "I recognized her voice, even though she was trying to hide it. And she asked me how I knew the spell 'Muffliato'." She shrugged. "And she was wearing the bracelet you gave her, Remus."

An awkward silence fell over the three and Lupin sipped his tea slowly. "What did she say?"

"She was looking for the locket. The one Umbridge had," Tonks continued. "I don't believe that they stole money. Besides, with all the Death Eaters and Snatchers around the Ministry, I doubt anyone actually has money there. It's probably all in Gringotts and it's not like they're going to break into the most famous Wizarding Bank there is." Tonks laughed nervously.

"Why would they need the locket?" Lupin asked.

"She wouldn't tell me."

A heavy silence fell over them again and Lupin put his tea down and stood up, the newspaper still in his right hand. "I've got to use the loo." He turned away from Tonks and Mr. Weasley and walked up the rickety staircase to the third floor, where Charlie's bedroom and the bathroom were. Without knocking, Lupin burst into Charlie's bedroom. "Have you seen –"

"If you're going to ask if I've seen the paper tonight, then yes, I have." Charlie was busy folding his clothes and packing them into a worn out trunk, similar to the one's Hogwarts students usually had.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lupin said softly with a bit of a malicious tone.

Charlie scoffed. "I've got to go back to Romania soon. I've got a job, you know. You don't really expect me to stay here forever, do you?"

"Well –" stuttered Lupin. "For the time being, I expected you to stay!"

"'For the time being'," Charlie repeated, rolling his eyes at Lupin, although the latter could not see. "What is that supposed to mean? You actually believe that Darcy is going to randomly show up on the doorstep in a few days? You think they're all going to come back and everything is going to carry on normally?"

"Well, no, but you can't go back!"

"I've got to." Charlie turned around and Lupin was surprised at how much he actually did look like Ron. "Look, no one knows where they are or how long they're going to be gone. I can't spend my days sulking about at my parents' house about it, though. Dumbledore trusted them to get a mission done and now we've got to trust them about it. Understand? It isn't that I don't care enough about them to wait here for them. It's about trust. And you trust them, don't you?"

"Of course I do! How could suggest –"

"Just listen to me!" Charlie raised his voice only slightly. "You're married. You've got a family. Quit crying all the time about Darcy. For all we know, You-Know-Who could come kill us tomorrow. Go home and live a little longer. Go live your life before he does end up murdering us all."

Lupin took a deep breath in and looked away from Charlie. "Did she… did she ever say anything about me?"

Charlie closed his trunk finally and locked it, sighing heavily. "She didn't have to." Sitting down on his bed, he crossed his large arms and raised his red eyebrows. "She loves you, still. It was written all over her face."

Lupin shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "I let her down," he chuckled darkly, not really knowing why he was laughing. "After how horribly I've treated her, she still loves me."

"I don't think she'd ever stop loving you, honestly," Charlie said truthfully. "You could kill a man and she'd still be on your side."

Lupin bit his lip.

* * *

><p>"Where are we?" Darcy asked, breathing heavily. Everyone else was spread out around the hard ground. She sat up and rubbed her head, picking the leaves out of her hair and looking down to her right. She screamed and covered her mouth. "Ron!"<p>

Ron was lying on the ground, his body convulsing. She reached down and cut his shirt open with a simple flick of her wand and her hands began to shake. There were three long gashes in Ron's shoulder where he had been splinched.

"Hermione – Hermione," Darcy panicked. "Please tell me you have something for this…"

Harry sat up straight and stood up quickly, running over and kneeling next to Ron.

Hermione was already digging around in her bag, her hands shaking. "_Accio dittany_!" She cried and a small vial soared up into the air and then into her hand. She crawled over to Ron. While Darcy attempted to calm him, she squeezed a few drops of dittany onto each gash. It slowly healed and he slowly calmed down and was still. "Darcy, I need you to do protective enchantments around this place."

"Protective enchantments?" inquired Darcy, her heart racing inside her chest. She felt something beating against her skin and she looked down; the locket was around her neck and it seemed like it was squirming. She grabbed it in her hand and held it tightly, shoving it down her shirt. "Why? Why can't we go back to Grimmauld Place?"

"Yaxley had hold of you," Hermione explained. "He saw Grimmauld Place. He saw where we were hiding. We can't go back or else they'd find us."

Darcy's excited heart sank to her stomach. She wouldn't be going back to Grimmauld Place. She wouldn't get to sleep by the warmth of the fireplace. Kreacher wouldn't be making them dinner anymore. And what if Lupin decided to show up? The Death Eaters would capture him and torture him for the whereabouts of her and her friends. Her stomach twisted and she cringed. Darcy stood up slowly and held out her wand.

"_Protego Totalum_. _Salvio Hexia_. _Repello Muggletum. Muffliato. Cave Inimicum." _Stepping back to admire her work, she immediately turned back to Harry, who was pulling a tent out of Hermione's small, beaded bag and setting it up with a flick of his wand. She blinked a few times as if in disbelief and then watched Hermione help Ron into the tent.

* * *

><p>"Where are we?" Darcy asked aloud as she was handed a cup of tea by Hermione. "I don't recognize the place at all."<p>

"This is where they held the Quidditch World Cup," Hermione explained, sitting down at the rectangular table. Ron sat beside Hermione, his face deathly pale and his arm in a sling. Hermione's eyes shifted from Darcy's green ones to her chest. "Darcy… have you got it… ?"

"Got what?"

"What do you think?" Hermione scoffed. "The locket!"

"Oh." Darcy reached in her shirt and pulled out the locket. "Yes, I have it."

"Are you sure it's the real one?" Ron proceeded to ask. "Are you sure it isn't just another copy like the one Kreacher had?"

"No, I think this is the real one. I'm absolutely sure," Darcy answered. She removed it from her neck and held it up in her hand. It ticked in her hand. "This is it." She hesitated and her eyebrows furrowed. "It feels like there's a heartbeat."

"A heartbeat?" Harry said skeptically.

"Yes!" Darcy handed the locket to her brother.

Harry handled it carefully, fingering the golden locket as if made of diamond. "There _is_ a heartbeat." He hesitated. "We'll have to open it, you know." Darcy shrugged and Harry tried to open it. "I – I can't –"

"You can't what?" Hermione asked immediately.

"It won't open."

Darcy grabbed the locket from Harry and felt her insides boiling. They had just gone through so much trying to get the locket and it wouldn't even open. "We'll try again tomorrow." She put it around her neck and walked outside of the tent.

* * *

><p><em>Lonely, terrified, afraid. It's only been a few days and I don't know how I'll be able to make it for more than a month by myself. It's not the fact that I'm alone – I'm not. Three great people are constantly asking for my attention and I enjoy speaking with them, but my body feels empty. My heart is heavy and it's hard to get out of bed. I feel like Remus was the only person who could keep me grounded besides Snape. I don't mind being alone, but I don't like being lonely.<em>

_Everything hurts inside and my thoughts are so overwhelming, yet distant, whirling about and never leaving me. I argue with my rational self and the self that's really hurting doesn't want to do this anymore. There's nothing to do here that will make me feel better. Nothing will help relieve the pain. I know I must carry on this mission for Harry and for Dumbledore and for the entire Wizarding and Muggle world, but sometimes I catch myself thinking about dying and ending all of my misery. I think about taking the easy way out._

_I'm beginning to think I won't be able to make it without Remus. I never realized how much I really need him. I wonder if he thinks the same about me – I should have told him when he was here. I hope when the war is over, it will be worth it to return home to him. I can only dream that he'll take me back. _

_I hate being alienated _

Darcy held the journal Charlie had gotten her in her hands and reread what she had just written. She scrunched her nose and her stomach churned. It was disgusting and gruesome what she had written. It made her skin tingle. She don't know what made her think about taking the easy way out, but she had to admit, it was gross and she never wanted anyone to know.

She didn't finish the last sentence. She didn't know what to write. _I hate being alienated._ She put a period at the end of the sentence and reread her whole entry again. Everytime she read it, it made her sicker. It made her want to go on with her life and carry on with the mission she and Harry had been left.

She closed the journal and threw it to the side. There was no way she was taking the easy way out. But still, thoughts kept flowing through her head. Is that what she really wanted? Did she really want to die? She felt her skin tingle slightly and reached up, touching the locket around her neck. It felt funny on her skin, almost like it was burning her. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes.

"Darcy."

Her eyes shot open and Harry was standing before her.

"What are you doing?"

"I was just writing," she rasped and Harry nodded, looking at the journal on the ground. He picked it up and flipped through the pages. He took his time and read each word slowly. "Nothing special."

When he finished reading, he closed the journal and put it down again, reaching for her neck. He removed the Horcrux from around her neck and Darcy gasped, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. It was as if a Patronus had been cast. "We need to take turns wearing this," Harry said, putting it on. "It does things to you. It does things to all of us."

* * *

><p>"I'm hungry," Ron moaned. "Darcy –"<p>

"Leave her –" Harry began, but Darcy cut him off by standing up off her bed and sighing. She grabbed her wand off the table that Ron, Hermione, and Harry were sitting at and pulled her jacket hood up over her head.

It was raining again; it had been raining for four days straight. Someone was supposed to be keeping watch, but they all agreed that they were safe. Darcy and Hermione ensured that the area was hidden from the outside world and no one wanted to get soaked while keeping watch. "Darcy, you don't have to go find food. We'll be fine – maybe it'll stop raining by morning," Hermione frowned and grabbed her thin wrist. She was taken aback by how small Darcy's wrist was. "I'll go find food tomorrow…"

"Hermione, you can't find good food," Ron muttered. "And even when you do find any food, you don't even bring enough back."

"Ron!" hissed Hermione.

"No, it's fine," Darcy replied quietly. Her throat was dry and her voice was raspy. She held her hand out towards Harry for the Invisibility Cloak and Harry handed it over to her reluctantly. She then grabbed a miscellaneous sock from Hermione's bag to put the food in. "I'm a bit peckish myself." She headed towards the opening of the tent and wrapped the cloak around her.

Despite the fact that the air was warm and humid and that Darcy was wearing thick jeans, heavy boots, and a warm jacket, the rain would hit the cloak, soaking through and it was cold. It made her hands red and her fingers felt frozen. And when he fingers felt frozen, her whole body was cold.

She had gotten food plenty of times. Honestly, she just enjoyed being alone. She liked going out for a walk, even if it put her in extreme danger. Her stomach had been growling all day and it kept her up last night. She had sacrificed her small fish the night before so Ron would have his stomach full.

Darcy slipped her wand into the waistband of her jeans and threw her shirt over it so it wouldn't get wet. She pulled the cloak around her tighter as she journeyed to the small creek that she had gotten the fish from the previous night. Her boots crunched the wet leaves and branches beneath her feet and she was breathing heavily, but carried on, knowing no one would hear her.

She sat at the creek and held her wand out, summoning the fish towards her. She sat there for a long time, the rain pouring harder and harder. The sun was just setting and she caught four small fish – enough to hold the four of them off. She slipped them in the sock she had carried to the creek and stood up. She stepped back and a large branch snapped underneath her boot.

"_What was that_?" a deep voice hissed.

Darcy froze and her heart pounded in her chest. She tried to remain completely still. The sun was going down quickly, the dark rain clouds covering it. She looked around, trying to find where the voice was coming from. Could they smell the fish? Could they smell her? She hadn't bathed properly with soap for some time. Her hands began to shake and she held her wand tightly.

"I think it came from over here," said a second voice.

"It was probably just an animal," said the third voice. It was high pitched and whiny sounding.

Trying to back off of the branch, Darcy stepped on another and whimpered as it snapped beneath her feet again.

"That's not just an animal!" roared the first voice. "I didn't hear four feet running away!"

"He's right," said the deep voice again. "This way."

Darcy heard footsteps inch closer to her until three figures appeared in front of her. They looked around, looking directly at Darcy three times. She clapped her left hand over her mouth, her wand hand trembling violently.

"Whatever or whoever it was," said the highest voice. "It was here. Look, these branches are broken."

The three men were quite large and dirty; Darcy could have never taken them on by herself. She didn't see any wands on them, but they could have easily stripped her of her wand and taken her out using physical force. The biggest man knelt down right in front of Darcy and she couldn't force herself to move. She knew that if she moved, they would hear her.

She held her breath and something rustled from a bush nearby. A rabbit hopped out and Darcy heard the sound of someone brandishing a small knife. The second man had sliced a deep gash in the rabbit. Darcy's mouth watered as she watched, but was utterly terrified at the same time. If they were to reach out, they'd rip the cloak off and Darcy would be almost defenseless. They'd rip her side open like the man did the rabbit.

"It was just a rabbit," said the man who held the knife in his hand.

"It wasn't a rabbit. A rabbit can't break a branch that thick. It had to be a person."

"It could have been a deer. They're quick and quiet. Probably got away."

"Face it, there's no one here."

"Damn. Alright, let's keep moving."

When Darcy was sure that the three men were long gone, she closed her eyes and fell to her knees, still holding her hand over her mouth. Tears rushed to her eyes and she breathed heavy. She stood back up and ran as fast as she could. Her boots sloshed through the muddy ground and the Invisibility Cloak was soaked. As soon as she got to the safety of her protective enchantments and her tent, she let out a loud sob.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron ran outside, holding their wands up. Darcy tore the cloak off and the three ushered her back inside, where she handed Hermione the fish and laid down in her bed. Harry waved his wand over her and the cloak, drying them instantly and warmth spread to Darcy's fingertips.

"They almost saw me," Darcy sputtered, grabbing onto Harry's shirt. "Snatchers. There were three of them and they heard me."

"Snatchers?"

Darcy nodded and Harry pried her fingers from his shirt.

"Don't worry," he assured her, patting the top of her head. Harry licked his lips, not knowing what else to tell her. He didn't want to seem afraid, but he was terrified on the inside. Did the Snatchers know they were there in the forest? "Hermione will try to cook the food." He knelt down beside her and grabbed her hand. He lowered his voice. "You're safe now. We're safe."

But Darcy and Harry knew that wasn't true.


	14. Ron's Departure

**RON'S DEPARTURE. **

Tonks carefully stirred the potion as it steamed. She looked into the cauldron and it was a sickly green. It was supposed to be clear – maybe it was still usable? She scooped a ladle-full into a goblet and brought it up the stairs to her husband. As she pushed the door open, she saw that he was asleep, curled up under the covers, keeping to his side of the bed.

She set the goblet down on the bedside table and sat down on the side of the bed beside him. She placed a gentle hand on his forehead and noticed that he had a burning fever. His face was pale as a ghost and he shivered. Tonks wished she knew what to do – Lupin had never really explained to her how to fix his illness during the week of the full moon and he had never asked her to make him Wolfsbane. She figured that he didn't want her to try because she wasn't as skilled with potions. Even though he had drunk her potions, he continued to run out to the woods to transform and Tonks listened to his screaming during the night. She'd attempt to patch up his wounds, which she did quite well since healing was a skill Aurors needed to know.

Shaking Lupin awake, she handed him the goblet and Lupin looked at it and licked his lips. She wasn't an idiot – Tonks knew that Lupin knew she had made it wrong. But he refused to say anything because he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He gulped the potion down in one large sip and cringed at the awful taste as it slid down his throat.

"Thank you," he rasped and he placed his head back on his pillow and closed his eyes.

"Remus?"

Lupin opened his eyes again. "Yes?"

"Can we talk? Or is now a bad time?" Tonks asked.

He pushed himself up and cleared his throat. "Now is fine, Dora."

"I – I just want you to know that I'm trying," she stammered. "I'm trying to do all that I can for you. I want to make sure that when this baby arrives, our relationship is secure. I'm worried."

"Well," Lupin hesitated. "What do you want me to do?"

"I wish you'd tell me what I can do for you. I know I'm not making the potion right so please stop taking it. I want you to be honest with me even if it hurts my feelings."

"Dora," he shook his head and sighed heavily. "I am honest with you. This is something that will take time for me to adapt to. I never imagined in a million years that I'd be married with a child. This is hard for me. But you have to know that I love you and would never think of leaving you. This _is_ a secure relationship."

"Don't start promising me these things," Tonks replied, knowing quite well that he would leave her in a heartbeat if Darcy were to appear on the front doorstep. "You can't promise things like that. You don't know what's going to happen in the future."

Lupin chuckled slightly. "I don't know what you're thinking, but you're acting mad. Are you doubting me?" He wasn't upset or mad, but more confused.

"Don't play stupid with me, Remus," Tonks said. "I know that Darcy is your first choice –"

"Things between me and Darcy ended a long time ago," Lupin assured her quietly. "You are mine now and I'm yours. Nothing will change that. Stop being ridiculous."

Tonks frowned. "Okay."

HERE HERE HERE HERE

"There's a farm over the hill there," Harry explained to Darcy one day. The sun was finally out and shining bright. The Snatchers incident was not quite forgotten, but Darcy had calmed down finally. "Hermione, Ron, and I are going to get some eggs."

"How are you getting there?" Darcy asked quickly. She sat up from her bed and Harry pushed her back down.

"Invisibility Cloak and other spells. We just want to be prepared if Snatchers find us."

"And what'll happen to me?" inquired Darcy, feeling a bit abandoned.

"You'll be fine," Harry said again. "Here's the locket. Ron suggested we don't take it with us in case we lose it or something. Rather keep it here with all the enchantments we've got surrounding this tent."

Darcy paused and thought. "Okay, but be back quickly, please. Don't leave me for long."

"As soon as possible," Harry smiled and he followed Hermione and Ron out the front flaps of the tent.

Darcy sighed and looked around. She put the locket around her neck and went to pour herself a cup of lukewarm tea that was left over from earlier. She warmed it up with a small spell and drank slowly, savoring the flavor.

The Marauders' Map was out on the table. Dots were moving around Hogwarts, leaving the Great Hall. It was probably just after breakfast. She saw many people that she knew – Seamus Finnegan was walking to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom; Minerva McGonagall had just reached her classroom; Horace Slughorn was still in the Great Hall; Severus Snape was in the Headmasters office.

Darcy held her breath and smiled to herself. She found Hermione's bag on her bed and she reached in, grabbing the carved frame and pulling out the picture of Phineas Nigellus. He wasn't in his frame, so she figured he must have been speaking with Snape, or just sleeping in his other frame. "Phineas?" she whispered. "Phineas? Are you there? Please?" Slowly, Phineas slid into his frame and Darcy yanked out her wand from her pocket. "_Obscura_!" she cried and a blindfold tied itself around his eyes.

Phineas cried out and clawed at the blindfold, but it wouldn't come out. "What do you think you're – was that _Potter_?"

"Yes, it's me!"

"Darcy Potter?" he seemed somewhat displeased, but surprised. Phineas stammered and stuttered. "You're still alive?"

"Of course I'm still alive! We all are!"

"There are others? Where?"

"Er – they aren't here at the moment."

"And where is here?"

"I can't tell you!" snapped Darcy. There was a long pause and Darcy saw a sinister smile on Phineas's face.

"Clever," he replied. "But I suppose I'm not tricky enough. What is it that you want, Potter?"

"I want to know what's going on at Hogwarts," she said. "I want to know what Snape is doing."

The same smile stayed plastered on his face. "Headmaster Snape and Professor Dumbledore thought you'd be asking about him sooner or later," said Phineas. "But there has been an… _incident_ involving some students you may know."

"Who?"

"The Weasley girl –"

"Ginny?"

"Mhm, yes, her," Phineas thought. "The idiot – Longbottom. Neville, I believe his name is. And the weird girl – er – blonde, father is the editor of the Quibbler or something?

"Luna Lovegood?"

"Yes, that's her."

"What happened?" she asked desperately. Her stomach was churning and she felt like vomiting. Were they okay? Were they dead?

"They tried to steal the sword of Gryffindor from the Headmaster's office."

Darcy's face went sheet white and she smiled proudly. "And what happened after that? Did they get it? Did they succeed?"

Phineas snorted. "Of course not, ignorant girl!" he cackled. "They were caught and punished."

"P – punished?" Darcy stuttered. "How so?"

"No serious injuries," he sighed. "Snape sent them to the Forbidden Forest to do some work for Hagrid."

Darcy sighed a huge sigh of relief and felt her heart flutter. Snape did that on purpose and she knew it. She knew that Snape knew Hagrid wasn't dangerous. They wouldn't be put into any real harm with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest. She smiled bigger. Snape was looking out for them – she knew it. She _knew_ he wasn't evil.

"Are you still there? Am I back in my bag?"

"No, I'm here, Phineas," Darcy answered quickly. "Can I ask something else?"

Phineas yawned. "Make it quick, I'm tired," he replied shortly.

"Where is the sword of Gryffindor?"

"In the Headmaster's office – I told you that already." Phineas smirked and Darcy stared at him. "But it has been removed before."

"For what?" asked Darcy urgently. "For cleaning?"

"You don't need to _clean_ Goblin made swords," spat Phineas and she snarled at him, although he couldn't see her. "No, Miss Potter, Dumbledore last took out the sword to break open a ring of some sort."

Darcy thought for a moment. The ring. _The ring_. She smiled knowingly.

"Miss Potter? Are you still there? Where am I?"

"I'm here," she replied coldly and Phineas scoffed.

"Fine then," he said. "Don't you dare speak to me like that! I'll be on my way now! Good day to you!" Phineas located the exit and Darcy struggled to stuff the portrait back into the bag. She tossed it to the side and sat down at the table, drinking the tea. Her leg bounced up and down and she couldn't stop it. She was jittery and excited. Dumbledore had used the sword to destroy a Horcrux – but that hadn't worked real well, had it? It had left him with a cursed hand.

She waited patiently for the three to return, all the while thinking of what Lupin was doing.

HERE HERE HERE HERE

Lupin had his hands on Tonks's stomach. He smiled and kissed it several times. She giggled and looked at him lovingly, running her fingers through his thinning hair. "I can't wait until it comes," she sighed happily.

"Mm," Lupin hummed. He held himself above his wife and raised his eyebrows at her. He gently pressed his lips to the tip of her nose. He fell onto the bed beside her and he curled up next to her body. Tonks held his hand.

"Remus?"

"Yes, my love?"

"On a scale of one to ten," she smirked. "How much do you love me?"

_"I think you're beautiful," he continued. "More beautiful than anyone I've ever seen."_

_"On a scale of one to ten," Darcy grinned and he smiled slightly, opening his eyes. "How pretty am I?"_

_"Eleven," he said and he wrapped his arms around her._

Lupin's eyes were glazed over and Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Remus?" She touched his cheek and he snapped back to reality and blinked a few times. She chuckled. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, I'm fine," he shook his head slightly, trying to get the image out of him and Darcy out of his head.

_"I love you."_

_"Do you mean it?" Darcy asked. "Do you really mean it?"_

_"Of course I do. I love you, Darcy."_

_She looked up at him. "Why are you with me? Why are you with me right now?"_

_"Because I – I love you!" he said, obviously confused. "What's going on? What's wrong? I don't understand –"_

_"I just want to make sure you're with me for the right reasons," Darcy whispered, burying her face in his chest and staining his shirt with her tears. "I don't want you to be with me if you feel you just have obligations. I don't want you with me if you just feel that you have to protect me. I can protect myself."_

_"Darcy," he chuckled to himself. "You're mine, love. You're mine. It's not the fact that I feel obligated to protect you, but more the fact that I__want__to protect you. If anything were to ever happen to you, I'd go mad. Absolutely insane. I want to protect you because I love you. Does that make sense?"_

_"I love you."_

_"And I love you."_

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tonks asked again and Lupin closed his eyes for a long time.

"I'm fine. Just – I'm tired."

_"Remus, look at me."_

_He lifted his head and looked me directly into Darcy's eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and their cheeks touched. The stubble on his cheek poked her skin, but she closed her eyes and felt his arms wrap protectively around her waist. "I love you, Darcy."_

_"I love you, too, Remus."_

_"Darcy, you have to remember that I'm fifteen years older than you."_

_She hummed._

_"And when we're older, you'll still take care of me?" he asked. Her heart fluttered. Darcy smiled at the thought of them together in the future. He wanted to be with her for a long time. "I'll be weak because of my transformations – much weaker than I am at this age. Being a werewolf will not just go away with age. And I don't want that burden placed upon you if you won't be able to handle it when you're older."_

_"Of course I'll be able to handle it," Darcy replied, kissing his cheek. "I love taking care of you. I want to take care of you for the rest of my life."_

"What are you thinking about?" Tonks asked with worry in her voice.

"Stuff," he replied. She frowned and looked up at the ceiling. His eyes were still shut and he was breathing heavily.

_"You've left a mark upon me, Darcy. You amaze me. You'll do great things," Lupin spoke into her hair. "You are strong. You'll make it. And when it's all over, you'll be able to come home."_

_"I have no home," Darcy admitted shyly._

_"But you have people that love you," Lupin said, stroking her hair. "And they are always willing to welcome you into their home. Their home – my home – it's your home, too."_

Lupin groaned and sat up quickly, shutting his eyes tightly and rubbing his temples. He held his head in his hands and left the room, leaving Tonks in bed, wide-eyed and confused. He walked into the bathroom and shut the door with a wave of his wand and he locked it. Lupin dropped his wand to the ground and he leaned over the sink, running his fingers through his hair and breathing frantically.

He missed her. He missed Darcy Potter, but he knew that there was no way they'd see each other again. He believed in her – but what they were doing was ridiculous. There was absolutely no way that those four would make it back alive… right?

He stared at his reflection in the mirror and swallowed the oversized lump in his throat. Lupin could have sworn he saw his reflection smile at him, but he shook it off. How could he smile in a situation like this? He was stuck. His wife – _wife_ was pregnant with his child and he wasn't even sure if the child would be a werewolf. And the girl he was absolutely, so incredibly in love with, was miles and miles away and out on a suicide mission. He bit down hard on his lip.

Lupin wondered what she was doing. How she was doing. Was she dead or alive? His stomach dropped – no, no, he thought. If she was dead, the papers would have said so. They would have found her. The four of them were still alive and he knew it. But where would she go? Darcy would probably take them back to Hogwarts. She would probably want to see Snape again – but why? He was evil, right? She wouldn't go back. Lupin scoffed. She would.

"Oh god…" he said softly, falling backwards. He slid down the door, sitting down on the tiled floor. He pulled at his hair, nearly ripping it out. "Oh god, oh god, oh god… Keep her safe…"

He didn't even kiss her goodbye. He never kissed her properly the last time they had seen each other.

What if Darcy was the one in his bed? What if she was the one carrying his child? Everything would be different. Darcy and Tonks were so similar that it was quite scary, but there was one difference – Remus Lupin loved Darcy Potter. Of course, he loved Tonks, but that love was not the same as what he felt for the daughter of his _best friend_.

What would James think? What would Lily think? They would both murder him – he knew that much. They'd convince Darcy that he wasn't good enough for her. He really wasn't good enough for her… he wished he was better…

His thinking made him dizzy. "Shit!" he shouted, banging his fists on the ground.

There was a faint knock at the door. "Remus?" Tonks whispered. He calmed down and stood up, pressing his forehead to the door, but not unlocking or opening it. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine," he replied in a hardly audible voice.

Tonks cleared her throat. "Remus… I just – I think I should say something…" On the other side of the door, Tonks rested her hands on her pregnant stomach and pursed her lips, thinking. "She'll be okay, I know she will."

"Dora, I wasn't –"

"I'm not a fool," she responded quietly. "I know what you're thinking."

HERE HERE HERE

Harry, Ron, and Hermione hadn't returned all afternoon. Darcy spent the day by herself, writing in her journal and played chess by herself and against herself. She thought hard about what Phineas had told her and kept the Horcrux by her side and in her pocket, not wanting to wear it. She didn't know what would happen if she kept it around her neck for so long.

Soon, night had arrived and rain began to fall on the top of the tent. Darcy was lying in the bottom bed of the bunk bed that she and Hermione shared. Finally, the door to the tent opened and Darcy sat up, pointing her wand at the entrance.

Realizing it was Harry, Ron, and Hermione, she lowered her wand and frowned. "What the hell took you so long?" she hissed.

"We were trying to find clues," Harry explained with a yawn. "Unfortunately, all we found were eggs."

"Where's the locket?" Ron asked, looking around for it. "I'll put it on for tonight." Darcy reached into her pocket and gave it to the redhead, who put it around his neck and shuddered.

Darcy suddenly smiled and Harry put the eggs on the table and looked awkwardly at her. "I have great news – I have a clue – I know something. You guys are going to love this! Sit, sit, please!"

The four sat at the rectangular table and Darcy was breathing deeply and heavily, clearly excited. "Spit it out!" Hermione said and Darcy nodded and cleared her throat.

"There was an incident at Hogwarts –" Darcy began, but Harry interrupted her.

"How do you know about Hogwarts?" he asked.

"I talked to Phineas," Darcy told him. "And don't worry, I blindfolded him and gave nothing away. No matter how horribly he wanted to know where we were, I didn't give him any hints. He doesn't know where we are or what we're doing."

"Okay, what was the incident?" Ron asked, trying to keep the ball rolling.

She sighed. "Ginny, Neville, and Luna tried to steal the sword of Gryffindor from the headmaster's office," Darcy said and all mouths fell open. Ron looked awfully worried. "They were caught, but only by Snape. When Phineas said he punished them, I was so worried, but Phineas said that Snape sent them into the Forbidden Forest – with Hagrid! Snape did that knowing they wouldn't be in any real danger!"

"Don't tell me you still think Snape is a good guy…" Harry muttered, rubbing his eyes. "He killed Dumbledore. How many times do I have to remind you?"

"I watched it happen, thank you very much," Darcy snapped. "But you have to admit, Snape let them off really easy. I'm telling you – Snape knew that they would be safe with Hagrid."

"Fine, fine," Harry waved her off impatiently. "Is that it?"

"No, no, no," she said. "Phineas said that the sword was goblin-made, so you don't have to clean it. So it's never taken out of the case for cleaning, but Dumbledore took it out last year."

"For what?" Hermione asked.

Darcy glanced around the table. Ron, who was across from her, was looking sick. His face was a mix of white and green and his eyes were wide. He stared at Darcy, waiting for her to continue. "The ring," she whispered. "He used the sword to destroy the ring."

Hermione's face lit up and she stood, knocking over her chair. "I get it!" she said excitedly. Darcy stood to meet her and grinned. "Goblin made items imbibe only that which can strengthen them!"

"Exactly!" Darcy said, talking with her hands waving everywhere. Harry was rising slowly to his feet. "And Harry and I used that sword in the Chamber of Secrets to kill the Basilisk so the blade is impregnated with venom!"

"Which means it can destroy Horcruxes!" Harry thought and Darcy and Hermione nodded at him. "And he didn't give it to me because he still needed it…"

"He wanted to use it on the locket and – and he must have realized he couldn't have given it to us in his will because the Ministry wouldn't have let us have it so he must have made a copy and hidden the real sword somewhere else!" Darcy thought. "But where?"

"Think, think!" Hermione shouted eagerly. Hermione, Harry, and Darcy all looked at each other, thinking hard. "Where would he have left it?"

"Hogwarts," Darcy said immediately.

"No, no, Dumbledore wouldn't have left it in Hogwarts," Harry said, beginning to pace. "Someone would have found it."

"What about Hogsmeade?" Hermione said.

"The Shrieking Shack," Harry suggested. "No one ever goes in there."

"But Snape can get in there," Darcy reminded them. "Dumbledore obviously didn't trust Snape enough to tell him he switched the swords, so he definitely wouldn't put the real sword somewhere where Snape could just stumble upon it, right?"

"Then he would have hidden it far away from Hogsmeade, yeah?" Harry shrugged. "What do you think, Ron?"

Ron hadn't spoken at all since they began to brainstorm. Darcy frowned and looked for Ron, seeing him standing at the end of the table, staring at them all. She took a step forward, towards Ron. "Ron?" Darcy whispered. "Are you alright?"

"Remembered me, have you?" Ron spat. "You three carry on, don't let me spoil your fun."

Darcy stuttered, not able to think of something to say. She looked to Harry for help. "What's your problem?" Harry asked, his eyebrows furrowed. Ron looked angry and mean. "Spit it out, Ron."

Ron looked so unlike himself. Darcy wanted to reach out and snatch the locket from around his neck. She knew it affected him more than anyone else in the group. "All right," Ron breathed, clenching his fists by his sides. "I'll spit it out. Don't expect me to skip up and down just because there's some other damn thing we've got to find. Just add it to the lift of stuff you don't know."

"I don't know?" Harry repeated, his voice turning icy and cold. The rain was falling harder now and it was louder. Harry had raised his voice.

"It's not like I'm having the time of my life here," Ron snapped. "You know, with my arm mangled and nothing to eat and freezing my backside off every night." He motioned to his arm, which was still being held up by a sling that Hermione made. "I just hoped, you know, after we'd been running around for a few weeks, we'd have achieved something."

"I thought you knew what you signed up for," Harry retorted.

"Yeah," Ron nodded curtly. "I thought I did, too."

Hermione had taken hold of Darcy's arm and the latter did not pull away. Harry was becoming increasingly frustrated, his face turning a bright red. "So what part of it isn't living up to your expectations?" he asked. "Did you think we'd be staying in five star hotels? Finding a Horcrux every other day? Did you think we'd be back to Mummy by Christmas?"

"We thought you knew what you were doing!" Ron shouted back. He pointed a finger at Darcy and she flushed with anger. "You two took charge like you had some sort of idea! We thought you two had a _real_ plan!"

"Ron!" Hermione screamed and Darcy stared at her.

"Sorry to let you down," Harry muttered. "I've – we've – been straight with you from the start. I told you everything Dumbledore told me! And in case you haven't noticed, we've found one Horcrux –"

"Yeah, and we're about as near getting rid of it as we are to finding the rest of them –"

"Take it off!" Darcy interrupted, holding out her hand. "Take off the locket, Ron! Give it to me!"

"You wouldn't be saying this if you weren't wearing it," Hermione added weakly.

"Yes, he would!" Harry told them both. "Do you think I haven't noticed you three talking behind my back? I know what you're all thinking."

"We haven't been talking behind your back!" Darcy countered angrily, telling nothing but the truth. She let out a frustrated scream. "We're all hungry and exhausted! We're just getting crazy out here and we need to calm down."

"Oh, shut up," Ron rolled his eyes. "You said it, Hermione. You said how you were disappointed and thought there would be a bit more to go on! And please, Darcy – look at you! You're ready to move on, but Harry won't listen to you. At least you're trying!"

"Harry is trying, too!" Darcy protested. "I know just as much as Harry! I know nothing more – I don't know what I'm doing either!"

There was silence. Hermione was crying, but the rain hitting the tent drowned out her sobs. She was still holding onto Darcy's arm tightly, her nails digging into her skin. Harry and Ron were staring at each other, hatred and anger burned in their eyes.

Harry shook his head. "So why are you still here?" he challenged his best friend. Ron didn't answer. "Go home, then. If you're so disappointed."

"Maybe I will," Ron hissed. He stepped up to Harry, getting right in his face. Hermione let out a loud sob. "Didn't you hear what Darcy said about my sister? But you two don't care at all – it's _only_ the Forbidden Forest! Snape – the evil man who killed Dumbledore – wouldn't _possibly_ try to put the students in danger! You don't get it! Neither of you understand!"

"You don't think I understand?" Darcy roared, ripping her arm from Hermione's grasp. "My brother is right here in constant danger! Being chased by Death Eaters all the time! And in case you've forgotten, _our parents are dead_! And you think I don't understand? How dare you?"

Ron ran over to his bed, grabbed his bag and flung it over his good shoulder. Remembering the locket around his neck, he pulled it off and threw it at Darcy, who caught it and put it around her own neck. He went over to the opening flap of the tent and turned to Hermione, whose eyes were puffy and red from crying. She wiped them and he scoffed. "Are you coming or staying?" he asked her coldly.

"I – I – I'm staying," she said meekly. "We said we'd go with Harry and Darcy, we said we'd help."

Ron nodded. "I get it. You choose him."

"Ron, no!" Hermione cried and as he left the tent, she followed him out into the pouring rain. She was calling his name outside, crying and sobbing. Harry and Darcy stood there and she looked at her brother, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. Darcy drew him to her and kissed the top of his head. He did not push her away.

Once Hermione entered the tent again, she was crying harder than ever. "He's gone!" she cried. "Disapparated!"

Darcy and Harry sighed, closing their eyes. Darcy helped Hermione to bed, tucking her underneath her covers and the ones from Ron's bed. Harry and Darcy stayed up late that night, sitting across from each other at the table. The lantern burned between them, keeping the tent slightly lit. They did not look at each other. They did not talk.

Finally, Darcy cleared her throat quietly, as not to wake Hermione. "What do we do?"

"I don't know," Harry whispered. "I thought you would know."

Darcy shook her head. "Ron was right. We needed a plan to begin with."

"Maybe," Harry replied. "But we've got almost nothing to go on. If Hermione had left with Ron, we would be dead within minutes."

"He's leaving us puzzles and hints and subtle clues," Darcy sighed, running a hand through her dirty hair. "I'm too tired to even figure them out."

"Well, he can't really just spell them out in front of us."

"We need to find the sword," she continued. "We need to find that before anything else. We find the sword and then we find the Horcruxes." Darcy fingered the Horcrux around her neck. "It's the only way."

Harry nodded. "I have a feeling it's going to bring us back to Hogwarts," he said quietly. "I think that's where we're going to end up."

"I don't know. I just have a hard time believing that's where Voldemort would hide his Horcruxes."

"It's worth a try, though, yeah?"

She nodded and stood up, blowing out the lantern's light. "Goodnight."


	15. Godric's Hollow

**i must admit, i'm rather proud of this chapter, honestly. hope you all enjoy it as much as i did! xx**

**GODRIC'S HOLLOW.**

Darcy woke hoping that the previous night had all been a dream. Unfortunately, as she looked over at the empty bunk, she realized that it was all real. Ron was gone and the chances of finding him or him finding them were slim to none. Instead of waking up early in the morning and going out to search for food, everyone stayed in bed a while longer, not speaking, but simply laying there and thinking about their future and thinking about what was going to happen next.

The three knew they had to move on eventually, but they had all lost motivation after seeing how easily Ron walked out of the tent. It seemed to Darcy that he had never wanted to come in the first place, but she always thought Ron was braver than that. She never expected him to leave his friends in the middle of a war like he did. She had to admit, she was slightly disappointed with him, but she would never voice her opinions about him to Harry or Hermione.

Knowing that she was the oldest and most matured, Darcy figured that she should have been helping her brother and Hermione and trying to cheer them up, but Ron's leave had taken a huge chunk out of her heart. That was her reminder of Charlie – with Ron around, she remembered that people actually cared about her. Ron was Darcy's constant drive to continue and find the Horcruxes and defeat Voldemort. She wanted to go home to the Burrow as soon as she could and see Charlie again and be held in loving arms and talk to someone who understood her. Who would play chess with her now that Ron was gone? Who was going to play Exploding Snap? Who was going to annoy her?

Finally, Darcy stood up out of bed, tired with bloodshot eyes and hair sticking up everywhere. She clenched the locket tightly in her hand, throwing it on the table and warming up the cold tea that had been sitting out overnight. She poured the small amount of tea between three small, chipped mugs and waited patiently as Harry and Hermione took their time getting out of bed and shuffling to the table to drink.

Darcy had downed her tea quickly, trying to stimulate her brain. They had to move again. It was risky staying put for too long, so after finishing the last of the tea, Darcy began to pack up, but very slowly and soon after, Harry and Hermione followed her lead, not talking at all. No words needed to be exchanged; the three knew that Ron was the only thing lingering in their minds at the moment.

After packing up all their miscellaneous, dirty clothing and teacups and the tent, Hermione shoved it in her beaded bag and the three clasped hands. Darcy sighed and turned on the spot, taking her friend and brother with her to a rocky cliff, where the wind was blowing loudly and causing her hair to fly everywhere. Hermione gave the bag to Harry and the only sounds uttered were the incantations Darcy and Hermione had to say to set up the protective enchantments around the camp.

When camp was set up and the tent was ready to be slept in, the three separated. Hermione sat at the edge of the camp, right behind the enchantments and she quietly cried, facing away from Harry and Darcy, not wanting to be caught crying for Ron. Harry had retreated into the tent and he pulled out the Marauder's Map, examining it by the light of his wand.

The sun had begun to set quickly and Darcy was sitting outside the tent, picking at the stray pieces of grass stuck in the ground. She thought hard about where they were going to go next. Where would Dumbledore hide a Horcrux? Where would he hide the sword? Darcy could come up with no reasonable answers and she doubted that Harry or Hermione could either, seeing as they weren't right in the head at the moment.

Darcy never thought she would miss Hogwarts so much, but oh, she missed it terribly. She missed the wondrous feasts – her mouth began to water – and she missed the foul smell of the potions room. She even missed Peeves, the most hated ghost in the whole castle, who would cause mischief wherever he went. She missed sleeping in the four poster bed and she missed the huge fires she'd sit and read by. She missed Hogsmeade and warm butterbeer when it was freezing out. She missed Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall, but she mostly missed Remus Lupin. She tried to push him from her mind – he was the last thing she needed to be thinking about. Reminding herself of Lupin was just going to make everything harder for herself and she didn't need that.

After about two days of the rocky and windy cliff, the three decided to move again and ended up on an island in the middle of a dark lake. Snow was beginning to fall and the weather was getting colder and colder each time they moved to a different hiding place. They began wearing several layers of ripped and dirty clothing and Hermione and Darcy would sometimes share a bed, hoping that the amount of blankets would keep them warm throughout the night.

Darcy had started a fire for them all and caught three different types of fish. She roasted them above the fire and the three ate them gratefully, their stomachs full for the first time in a long time. They sat on damp logs, trying to keep their pants dry.

Bundled up in two hats, a scarf, two shirts, and a heavy coat, Hermione flipped through _Tales of Beedle the Bard_. Darcy was looking through a Dark Arts book, casually reading the spell descriptions and mentally branding them in her mind just in case she had to use one of the spells at any point in her life. Harry, however, was just staring into the fire, his eyes tired and droopy. He refused to go to bed.

"Darcy…?" Hermione's voice was raspy and weak and she held out the book to the elder Potter sibling, pointing to an inked in drawing at the top of the page she had been reading. "You took Ancient Runes, right?"

"For a year before dropping it," sighed Darcy and she took the book from Hermione's hands and examined the drawing, scrunching her nose. "I know what this is… well, I don't know what it is – I've seen it before."

"You have?"

"I don't think it's a rune," Darcy explained, passing the book to Harry, who examined it, as well. "I was talking to Xenophilius Lovegood at the wedding and he was wearing a necklace with that symbol on it. I didn't think anything of it."

"Luna's father?" Harry snorted. "It must be some weird symbol if _he_ was wearing it."

Darcy was glad everyone was speaking because she was tired of the ongoing silence. "He _was_ wearing it," Hermione nodded. "I remember."

"Viktor Krum told me about it – it's Grindelwald's mark." Darcy and Hermione looked to Harry, who had given Hermione her book back.

"Grindelwald had a mark?" Hermione questioned and Harry nodded slowly in reply. "In everything I've read about him, no author has ever mentioned a mark of his."

"Krum said it was carved into a wall at Durmstrang," Harry continued. "He told me Grindelwald put it there."

"That's strange…" thought Darcy, tapping her chin lightly, her fingers frozen from the snow whipping around. "If it's such a dark symbol, what's it doing in a children's book? And why didn't Scrimgeour say anything about it?"

No one seemed to hear Darcy's reply. She took her wand in her hand and waved it at the fire in the middle of the three of them, causing it to become bigger and brighter. The warmth spread to her fingers and she sighed a huge sigh of relief. Harry spoke again, "I want to go to Godric's Hollow."

Darcy looked at her brother strangely, but Hermione did not seem to be listening. "I don't think that's such a good idea," Darcy began, but Hermione shook her head.

"I think we can't stay away from it," Hermione chirped. "It makes sense – it might be there."

"What, exactly?"

"The sword!" Hermione replied as if it were the most obvious thing. "You know, Godric Gryffindor and Godric's Hollow? It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"I suppose you're right," Darcy shrugged, taking a stick from the ground and poking at the fire. "But Hermione, you know what's there. I don't know if I'm ready for that – I always imagined going with… oh, you know…"

"Wait," Harry interrupted, holding his hand up to stop Darcy from talking. "You mean our parents are buried there, right?"

Darcy nodded. "They should be," she answered. "That's where they died. But I wish…" She cut herself off, thoughts of Lupin entering her head. She pulled her knees to her chest and sighed sadly.

"I heard Bathilda Bagshot lives in Godric's Hollow," Harry said matter-of-factly.

Darcy stroked her chin as if she had a beard. "What if _she_ has the sword?"

"Ginny's Aunt Muriel said she was crazy," Harry reasoned. "There's no way Dumbledore would trust the Sword of Gryffindor to Bathilda Bagshot."

"You don't know that," Darcy snapped back. "Perhaps Dumbledore never mentioned a friendship with her before because he didn't want anything suspecting anything. It's a good argument, Harry, and you know it."

Harry nodded, defeated. Hermione closed her book and bit her lip. "When are we going to go, then?"

"Soon," answered Darcy.

"Are we going to use Polyjuice Potion?" Hermione asked again. "Disguises? I've got some left, but we'd need hair."

"We're in the absolute middle of nowhere," Darcy cocked and eyebrow and glanced at Hermione from the corner of her eye. "We don't need disguises. I don't want to go back to the place I used to live as someone else. It doesn't seem right to me. Harry? Do you agree?"

"Completely."

"But we're bringing the Invisibility Cloak?" Hermione said.

"We'll bring everything," Darcy nodded. "From Godric's Hollow, we'll move on to somewhere else. We can't return just in case someone finds us."

"I think it's dangerous, though," Hermione licked her chapped lips. Darcy felt her's – they were cracking from the extreme cold, even though she had taken large measures to ensure that she was warm all day. "You-Know-Who will be expecting you to return there, don't you think?"

Harry shook his head. "I think it unlikely," he told her. "He almost died there – why would he want to return?"

"You almost died there, too," said Hermione softly.

"Our case is different," Darcy answered for her brother. "We'll leave after we rest up for a couple of nights."

* * *

><p>The Christmas tree was all set up and Lupin put the star on the top, stepping off the small ladder to admire his work. He smiled proudly and draped his arm around Tonks's shoulders. In the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was preparing a large dinner for her family. The Burrow was welcoming and warm and homey and Lupin enjoyed being there more than anywhere else. There, he was surrounded by people, instead of being home alone with just Tonks. Although he appreciated her presence and company, he needed more people to empathize with him.<p>

Lupin and Tonks walked into the kitchen, their nostrils filling with the smell of lamb and potatoes and delicious cranberry sauce. The Weasleys' nicest dishes were set on the table and the dining table seemed to have been stretched to accommodate the amount of food. They were a few chairs short, so they had to make do with a recliner from the sitting room and Fred and George were going to share a larger chair they could both fit on.

"Ah, there you two are!" Mrs. Weasley said excitedly, placing gravy on the table and lighting four candles with her wand gracefully. "The tree all set up?"

"Mm," Lupin nodded. "The gifts are set up underneath, as well."

"Such a kind dear," Mrs. Weasley replied with a smile, placing a warm hand to his cheek. Tonks held on tightly to his arm, kissing his other cheek and sighing happily. "Supper is ready, so take your seats while I go get the others…"

The couple sat next to each other, their wide eyes examining all the food. Lupin placed his napkin on his lap and Tonks did the same. "Looks delicious," Lupin muttered and Tonks nodded in agreement.

The red headed family shuffled down the stairs at one time and all took their places around the rectangular shaped table. Mrs. Weasley looked at them all as her children and family took in the amount of food she had made.

"Perhaps we could say a prayer first?" she suggested and no one refused. Mrs. Weasley breathed in deeply through her nose and cleared her throat, closing her eyes. Everyone did the same and bowed their head. "Please – _please_ – make sure they're all right and happy on this wonderful day. Happy Christmas."

No other words needed to be exchanged. Everyone knew who Mrs. Weasley was talking about and everyone wanted the same thing. They all lifted their heads and opened their eyes.

"Alright, dig in," said Mrs. Weasley and everyone began filling their plates with pounds of food.

"Isn't it horrible?" Fred joked, trying to lighten the mood. "While we're eating this delicious dinner, Ron is probably eating berries or twigs."

There was a pause and an awkward silence. Finally, Mr. Weasley spoke up, "I'm sure Darcy is taking good care of them. She's a good girl, isn't that right, Remus?"

Lupin nearly choked on his food and Tonks patted his back gently as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. He nodded and wiped his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, good girl," he replied softly. "Smart girl. Caring, too."

Darcy's face was all he could think of and he rubbed his eyes, trying to distract himself by stuffing his face. Everytime someone brought her up, he remembered how much he missed her. It was like he missed her more and more every day. It wasn't the same with Tonks. Of course he loved her and of course Tonks loved him, but it wasn't the same love. Darcy looked at him differently. She touched him differently. Or maybe Tonks looked at him and touched him the same way; he just wished it were Darcy.

He wondered what they were doing that night on Christmas Eve. He wondered if they were exchanged small, handmade gifts with each other. He wondered if Darcy was cooking a small dinner or if she was saving the food for Christmas dinner.

Regardless, he knew that Darcy was taking care of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He just wished he could be taking care of her.

* * *

><p>"We'll leave as soon as the sun goes down," Darcy told her friends. Harry and Hermione sat at the table inside the tent, a few candles lit in the center. The three of them were dressed warmly and shivering from the cold.<p>

The tea was steaming hot and Darcy poured it into three mugs. On their dinners plates were whole fish and some berries Darcy had scavenged earlier that morning. The wireless radio they kept close to them constantly was tuned into a Christmas station and it played holiday classics mixed with static.

It was almost like being at the Burrow again. Throughout their dinner, Harry, Darcy, and Hermione were able to smile without feeling guilty. Ron was off their minds while they ate and they joked and chuckled and talked about what they were going to do when they got home. The three of them ate slowly, savoring the flavorful food and wanting it to last as long as possible. They not only wanted the food to last, but the happiness and carefree feeling.

"Can I have more berries, Darcy?" Hermione asked and Darcy passed the younger witch a wooden bull filled with red and blue berries that looked delicious to them. Darcy smiled as Hermione popped a handful into her mouth, not caring about the juice that dribbled down her chin and onto her jacket.

"Do you guys have any idea when Christmas is?" Harry asked and Darcy shrugged.

"I haven't been keeping track of the days," Darcy replied. "But I assume it's soon since the stations are playing Christmas music."

"Happy Christmas, you two," Hermione said happily and Harry and Darcy muttered the same to each other.

* * *

><p>"Harry, get the tent!" Darcy shouted to him. "You haven't done anything since we started packing up!"<p>

It was true; Harry had been sitting at the edge of the island, hugging his knees to his chest and freezing. Darcy had been terrified at a few points while they stayed there because Harry had developed what looked like frostbite on his arm, but Hermione was able to heal it instantly and easily without causing Harry any pain. However, Darcy's brother stood up and waved his wand a few times in the air, causing the tent to dismantle and fold back up. He dropped it in Hermione's small bag and Darcy poured water on the fire to put it out. She had broken a hole in the frozen lake to get a fresh supply for tea.

As Harry handed Hermione her bag, she fastened it to her belt underneath her heavy coat. Darcy was wrapped up in a Gryffindor scarf she had brought along and her hat was pulled down slightly over her eyes. Her nose stuck out and the tip of it was red and freezing cold. Grasping Hermione's hand with her mitten covered hand, there was a lurch behind Darcy's bellybutton and she grunted due to the amount of food she had just consumed.

Within seconds, Darcy's feet hit soft ground and her feet were buried in a few inches of snow. Even though they had planned not to be seen, the three refused to wear the Invisibility Cloak. They weren't thinking straight and Harry and Darcy wanted to go without a disguise.

Darcy's heart was racing as she let go of Hermione's hand and looked around. Similar buildings surrounded them and it was five minutes to eleven o'clock according to a clock mantled on a church. Although the buildings weren't as similar as the ones in Privet Drive, they were a lot older and Darcy couldn't help but to feel slightly at home.

As she looked around, she heard voices loudly laughing from inside houses with lights on in the windows and she wondered if they would recognize her if she decided to knock on their doors. She doubted it; she had definitely grown up and looked much different now that she wasn't a young toddler. Harry and Hermione had begun to walk and Darcy caught up with them, the snow still falling and landing on her eyelashes. She took off her hat, getting sweaty underneath it and she tucked it into the back pocket of her jeans.

The doors to the church opened singing filled Darcy's ears. They were singing Christmas carols. "It's Christmas Eve…" she said quietly. "It's Christmas Eve tonight."

Harry and Hermione did not answer. Her eyes fell on the church again and beside it was a gated cemetery. The tall entrance gates were not locked, but open and rusting. "Do you think they'll be in there?" Harry asked both girls and Darcy walked up next to him, tilting her head and shrugging.

"Probably," she answered. She noticed that Harry and Hermione was still holding hands and she felt lonely. Darcy went ahead and pushed the gate doors open and they creaked loudly, but no one stuck their head out a window and no one protested, so she continued into the small graveyard.

All the tombstones were covered in a thin, white layer of snow and Darcy wiped off each grave, hoping to see her last name on one of them. Her heart was pounding painfully against her chest as she brushed off another – and another – and another…

She had always wanted to come with Lupin. Lupin had been her parents' best friend and it was only right that they visit together. This was _not_ how she had imagined her visit. She did not imagine coming here under dangerous circumstances with Harry and Hermione. Although she wanted to bring Harry to see the Potter grave, as well, she wanted to see it first with Lupin. She knew she would break down and Darcy Potter didn't want Harry to see her in a crumbling state.

Darcy wiped off another grave and although it wasn't her parents, it made her stomach churn. "Hey, I found something," she said softly, attracting Harry and Hermione over to her. They had separated, but stood close to each other and Darcy felt colder. "Kendra Dumbledore and her daughter, Ariana… I didn't know the Dumbledore family lived here?"

"It's in Rita Skeeter's book," Hermione replied, brushing more snow from the face of the tombstone. "At least she got _something_ right."

"How come he didn't mention it to us?" inquired Darcy, turning to Harry. He didn't answer; he simply stared at the last name engraved on the stone. "Doesn't matter anyway."

The three split up again and Hermione shrieked. Darcy and Harry looked at her quickly, running over to her and nearly slipping on the ice. "Oh, it isn't Potter – but look!" she said, pointing to the triangular shape on the grave. "It's the mark from the book!" She lit her wand and held it close to the name, but it was so worn that Harry couldn't see it from beneath his glasses. Darcy looked closer. "I think it says… Ignotus?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed sadly. "I'm going to go keep looking for my parents, though."

Darcy nodded and continued on, seeing last names familiar to her. Some were the surnames of the students at Hogwarts and she wondered if they were of any relation. She moved on, not wanting to linger too long on those graves. Sighing loudly, she brushed off another grave lazily and gasped. "_Harry_," she breathed just loud enough for him to hear. "Harry…"

Harry had run up next to her and Hermione followed. Darcy was furiously wiping at the snow stuck to the grave and she was breathing heavily. She lit her wand up as bright as it could get and saw the names on it. _Lily and James Potter._ Darcy ran her fingers over the engraved named and tears began to fall from her eyes. Harry wiped at his and sniffed.

Darcy wrapped her arms around Harry's waist and cried onto his shoulder. He held Hermione's hand with his free hand and rubbed his sister's back gently. From behind, Harry and Darcy Potter looked like the spitting image of their parents. The long red hair and the short, messy black hair. The glasses that sat on Harry's face were so similar to his father's and they both had eyes like their mother's.

Hermione had begun to wave her wand and a wreath of flowers appeared before them. She caught them in the air and set them down gently on the grave of Harry's and Darcy's parents.

As the siblings stood there, hugging each other, Darcy cried harder.

She had never missed Lupin more in her life than she did at that moment. And she wished it was he who was there comforting her and rubbing her back and letting her cry on his shoulder. She wanted him beside her to hold her hand and kiss her lips and wipe her tears away.

But she knew very well that Lupin was not going to just appear beside her. Looking at her parents' grave, she realized that not only were her parents and Ron gone, but Lupin was, as well.


	16. Bathilda Bagshot

**BATHILDA BAGSHOT.**

Darcy led Harry and Hermione through the streets of Godric's Hollow. The singing from the pub was getting louder, probably because the men were getting drunker and drunker as the night wore on. The two watched Darcy carefully as she stared at the ground when she walked and kept kicking up the snow that was piling on the ground.

"Darcy?" Hermione asked quietly and the older girl grunted. "Do you know where Bathilda lives?"

"No."

She had stopped and was looking up at a house. A collapsed house. The right side was broken and collapsed and missing as if blown apart to pieces. Darcy stared up at it silently, pursing her lips in a very Aunt Petunia like way. Harry stepped up beside his sister and she touched the gate that surrounded it, wrapping her fingers around the bars. Harry did the same, but he wasn't going to go in; it was far too dangerous and Darcy knew this or else she would have clambered through the gate entrance and up the front steps to the front door. She wanted to go to the second floor and sit down in her bedroom, which seemed to be in okay condition. It was Harry's room that had been blasted to bits.

Taking in a deep breath, Darcy let go of the fence and ran her fingers through her hair. It was sticky and wet from the snow that was falling on the top of her head. She tucked it behind her ears and swallowed loudly.

"You remember?" Harry whispered to her.

Darcy nodded. "I remember like it was yesterday." She pointed feebly up to the right corner of the second floor, where Harry's room used to be. She could see it in her mind. She could see the cradle in the corner of the room and the blanket that hung over the side. Her finger pointed now to the left side of the house. "My room was there. That window was in my room. Mum and dad were in the room on the other side of the house. You can't see it from here."

Hermione listened carefully with a sad smile on her face as Darcy recalled the different rooms of the Potter house with explicit detail. She recalled things like the color of the kitchen counters and the wallpaper in the dining room. The color sheets on her bed and the type of curtains that hung in her parents' room.

"How do you remember all that?" Harry asked, quite amazed.

Darcy crossed her arms and shrugged slightly. "It was the only real home I ever had. You don't forget things like that."

Hermione suddenly tugged on Darcy's coat jacket and she shook her head, trying to shake the sadness off her shoulders. Darcy turned to Hermione, who looked frightened. "Darcy," breathed Hermione and her breath was visible. She leaned in close to Darcy's ear. "There's someone watching us."

Sure enough, there was a woman standing a few good feet away from them, hunched over and bundled in scarves and a coat. She was a bit spooky looking and even Darcy was slightly taken aback by her haggard appearance. Darcy grabbed Harry's arm and Harry licked his lips as the woman held out a long finger and beckoned them closer.

Darcy watched the old woman closely. She obviously had to be witch; why would a Muggle be hanging around in a magical town? The woman moved slowly towards the three and stopped a few yards before them.

Harry spoke, "Are you Bathilda?"

She nodded. Harry stepped towards her, but she moved away, a little quickly than she had moved only moments before. The three followed her to a small house compared to the others in the town. As soon as Darcy stepped in before Harry and Hermione, she was frightened. No lights were on, but the streetlights shone dimly through the dirty windows. It stank like death inside and Darcy breathed out her mouth, holding her nose. Bathilda suddenly turned and Darcy saw how ugly and old she really was; her skin was wrinkled and spotted with veins and liver spots.

Bathilda picked up some matches off the table beside Harry and she attempted to light them, but she was too weak and shaky. Harry offered to do it for her and he lit a few candles with the match, lighting up the messy home.

She stared at Harry, but did not speak, which Darcy found especially unnerving. She beckoned him forward again with her long and thin fingers and when all three began to follow her, she stopped them. "I think she means just you, Harry," Darcy whispered, pushing him slightly forward. "We'll wait down here."

Harry nodded and they climbed, very slowly, a set of rickety stairs. Hermione and Darcy began to look around. "You think she has the sword?" asked Hermione quietly.

"I find it hard to believe," muttered Darcy. "She seems absolutely crazy. I don't think Dumbledore would trust _her_ with the sword."

"Still, I'm looking for it. It's the only lead we've got."

"_Lumos_," Darcy breathed. Her wand lit up brightly.

Darcy agreed wordlessly and began searching small crevices in the place and opening drawers, no matter how small. A picture caught her eye. It was framed and standing beside a lit candle. A smug young man was looking up at her, brushing his long hair from his eyes. He looked awfully familiar, but she placed the picture facedown so she wouldn't have to look at it anymore.

They looked around for a few more minutes and Hermione opened a door. The smell hit Darcy like crazy and she looked at Hermione, who was covering her mouth. She backed into Darcy and the latter heard the flies and looked in, nearly vomiting. Someone's insides were piled up in the small closet.

"Harry!" shrieked Darcy and she heard crashes coming from the upper floor.

She didn't hear anyone respond, only clunks and crashes. Darcy dashed towards the stairs and Hermione followed close behind. When they reached the top, Darcy gasped and Hermione screamed. Nagini was coiling its body around Harry and when it heard the girl's scream, it lunged. Hermione dove to the side, knocking Darcy to the ground.

Darcy flicked her wrist and her wand shot a shower of sparks at the snake, delaying its attack. The two girls moved again and pulled Harry up to his feet. Darcy looked at Harry, who was clutching his head and moaning and she pushed him to the other side of the hallway; Nagini just barely missed him.

The snake then lunged for Darcy and the force of the hit caused them both to go through a door into a brightly lit bedroom. She hit the side of a bed and groaned for a moment. Hermione hit the snake with a spell and it hissed in pain, giving Darcy a moment to stand and run.

"_Confringo_!" screamed Hermione and the spell bounced around the room, hitting the snake and searing Harry's hand and cutting Darcy's cheek. Harry and Hermione were holding hands; Hermione grabbed Darcy's and pulled her with them as they jumped out of the only window in the room and twisted in midair.

Darcy landed face down in the snowy ground and the cold made her burning cheek feel better. When her face felt like it was getting frostbite, she stood up and saw that she had landed more than a few feet away from Hermione and Harry. He was moaning loudly and Hermione waved Darcy over.

Hermione had already set the tent up and the two lifted Harry's arms and legs and brought him inside, placing him on the bottom bunk of a bed.

"Hermione, he was bitten," said Darcy quickly, holding up his arm. There were puncture marks in his arm. "Should I put dittany on it?"

Hermione nodded and got the dittany out of her bag. She applied it on Harry's wound and held her wand over it, muttering spells under her breath. Although she couldn't heal the bite marks all the way, they looked significantly better.

"No… no… _no_," moaned Harry and Darcy stood over him, waiting for her brother to wake up. Hermione began to fix some tea by collected some snow and melting it. Darcy listened to Harry moan for hours, throughout the night and she told Hermione to cast protective enchantments and then sleep; she was sure no one would find them.

She pulled his shirt collar down and saw the locket beating like a heart on his chest. She touched the locket and tried to get it off him, but it wouldn't budge. She pulled as hard as she could, but eventually had to use a spell to sever it and the Horcrux had left a mark on Harry's chest. She sighed and held her head in her eyes, crying as both Harry and Hermione slept.

* * *

><p>Lupin stood in the backdoor of the Weasley's house, his arms crossed. The feast Mrs. Weasley had prepared was nothing compared to the one she was going to make for the actual Christmas dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were still awake, sitting by the fire in the sitting room, and listening to some Christmas music. All the kids had gone to bed and were excited to open their presents the next morning.<p>

He had to talk to Tonks. He had to have a serious chat with her. Darcy was the only thing running through his mind. He couldn't get her out of his thoughts; she invaded his dreams and mind and caused his heart to beat faster at the mention of her name.

All he wanted to do was find her. He knew he had a baby on the way, which was something that caused him to hesitate. Tonks would be devastated if he just up and left to find the girl he was in love with. But he had waited too long; he thought Darcy would be back by now. He didn't quite know what to expect. What was she even doing? How much longer would she be gone?

"I'm going to bed," said Tonks's voice from behind him. She was guzzling down some egg nog she poured herself. Lupin jumped when she spoke; he had no idea she was still awake. "You alright?"

"Yeah," he lied. "I'll be up in a little."

"You're thinking about her again," Tonks whispered, touching his shoulders from behind. He was extremely tense and she gently massaged his shoulders. He couldn't relax. "I know you are. You're always so tense when you think about her."

"You have to understand that I'm worried about her."

Tonks placed a soft kiss behind his ear. "I am, too. I know you love her. Everyone does," she replied. Her heart broke every time she had a conversation like this, but she knew that he loved Darcy when she married him. It wasn't entirely his fault, but mostly his. "Go to her."

"I don't know where she is." Lupin turned to face her. He kissed her forehead. "Even if I did, I couldn't just leave you. Not while you're pregnant with my child."

"Remus, I can handle this," she assured him with a weak smile, touching her swollen belly. "Start with Bill and Fleur's, hm? They're home for the holiday's, right?"

"Dora, I'm not going to –"

She put her finger to his lips. "Yes, Remus. Go."

He licked his lips, not believing her. He touched her cheeks and sighed. "I am so sorry for everything I've done," he said, kissing her forehead again. "I _do_ love you, Dora, don't think for a second that I don't."

"I know," she replied, kissing his lips. "I'll cover for you, okay? I'll tell them you were getting ill and had to go home."

"Tell them I went out in search of those four," Lupin interrupted. "I think Molly will be much more relieved when she knows that I'll be with them."

"I agree completely." She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth. "Be careful, would you? I don't want this to be the last time we see each other."

"I feel horrible for leaving you in such a state."

"I'll be okay," she answered with a nod of her head. "Look at all the support I've got from my family and the Weasleys. Do you really think they'd let me live by myself? I'll be fine. But you need to watch yourself."

Lupin nodded and she pursed her lips.

"Will you kiss me one more time?" she breathed.

He nodded again slowly and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Kiss me like I'm the only one for you."

Lupin leaned in and captured her lips with his. It was the best kiss she had ever experienced throughout their entire marriage. When he pulled away all too soon, she smiled at him.

"Good luck."

* * *

><p>Harry's eyes suddenly opened and he saw his sister smiling down at him.<p>

"Are you okay?" she asked him quietly.

"Fine," he lied, but Darcy saw right through him. With a damp towel, she wiped all the sweat on Harry's forehead and ran her fingers through his hair.

"You've been sick," she continued. Harry looked her over. She looked sick as well; she had been worried sick, but not like he was. She seemed extremely tired and weak and scared stiff, but there she was, holding onto Harry's hand like letting go would kill her.

"What? When did we get here?" he stammered.

"Hours ago," replied Darcy, shushing him. Hermione was still asleep. "It's nearly morning. You've been moaning in your sleep all night."

Harry's face went white and Darcy smiled tiredly at him.

"Anyway, I tried to get the Horcrux off you, but I couldn't. It burned your chest. And the snake bit your arm, but Hermione healed it the best she could."

"Where's the locket?"

"In Hermione's bag." When Harry just stared at her, Darcy kept talking. "We just had a rough night, Harry. No one needs to wear it right now. We'll be okay. I'm sorry for this – this is my entire fault."

"Your fault?" Harry inquired. "No, it's not your fault at all. I brought up Godric's Hollow. I was the one who wanted to go there."

Darcy shook her head. "It's not your fault, Harry," she sighed, touching his cheek and then wiping his sweat again. "Don't worry about it. We're all safe and alright."

Hermione was just beginning to wake up. The two stopped talking as she stretched and joined them by Harry's bed. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Harry," Hermione said, immediately jumping into the conversation. "But what happened when you went upstairs? Was the snake hiding somewhere?"

"No…" Harry thought, his eyes glazed over and dull. "The snake _was_ Bathilda. It – it was inside of her. Lupin told me there would be magic we wouldn't be prepared for, remember? Well, she didn't want to talk in front of Hermione because it was Parseltongue. I didn't realize I was speaking it, but now… she sent a message to You-Know-Who. I felt it inside of my head…"

He was turning white again and Darcy felt his hand. It was cold. "Do you want some tea, Harry? I can heat it up again for you."

"No, I'm fine." He threw the covers off his body and Darcy and Hermione protested, pushing him back down.

"You need rest!" Darcy said.

"You do," retorted Harry. "You've been up all night and look like a zombie. Go to sleep and I'll keep watch for a little while. Where's my wand?"

Darcy looked around quickly and scratched at the back of her head. She thought Harry had his wand when they left. When she looked at Hermione, there were tears in her eyes. She reached into her small bad and pulled out Harry's wand; it was split in two, a single strand holding it together. "I tried to fix it, but it can't be fixed… not with damage like that."

Harry took it in his hands and stared at it.

"Harry, I am _so_, so sorry…" Hermione said, covering her mouth.

"Just give me yours for now," Harry said emotionlessly. "I'll use it while I keep watch."

Hermione gave Harry her wand and Darcy knew Harry was seething with anger. She knew whenever he was angry, he walked with his back completely straight and he stretched his fingers by his side. He traced his teeth with his tongue and walked out of the tent.

"It'll be okay," Darcy told Hermione, reassuringly rubbing her arm. "He'll get over it. You saved our lives by pulling us out of that window. He'll come to."

"He's upset, isn't he?"

"Well, yes," Darcy sighed, not wanting to lie. "But I promise you, everything is going to be okay."

* * *

><p>Appearing on the rocky beaches of Shell Cottage at around one in the morning, Lupin rushed to the front door, bundled in his traveling cloak. He knocked several times and finally, the door was opened by Bill Weasley, whose long red hair was messy. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes.<p>

"Remus? What are you doing here?" he asked in disbelief. Bill took a step back and looked over Lupin, shaking his head as if he were dreaming. "Is everything okay between you and Tonks?"

"I need a place to stay," yawned Lupin. "I promise you that I'll explain everything in the morning. I apologize for such late notice, but I don't know where else to go."

"Of course, yeah," Bill replied gently, opening the door wider and letting the older man in. "I'll show you to the guest room. Did you bring anything?"

"Er – I have some potion ingredients, but you need not worry – I won't need this potion for a while."

"Just making sure you thought this through," Bill said. His voice lowered. "Through here." Bill opened up the wooden door and Lupin walked into the guest room. It was nice and warm and he collapsed on the bed instantly. "I'll let Fleur know you're here."

"Thank you so much," Lupin sighed, his voice muffled by the pillow he was lying on.

Bill left Lupin alone and returned to his room, confused. He sighed and looked at the sleeping figure of Fleur, who hadn't woken at all during the whole ordeal. Bill got back into bed and sighed, falling asleep, convinced it was all a dream.


	17. Ball of Light

**BALL OF LIGHT. **

When he woke up, he was stick straight, lying on his back in the twin bed and staring up at the wooden ceiling. He could hear the waves crashing on the beach outside the window; it was surprisingly warm for the end of December. Wrapped tightly in the layers of sheets and blankets, Lupin debated getting out of bed. How was he supposed to explain himself to Bill and Fleur? What was he supposed to say? He thought about Disapparating right there and going back to the Burrow. Back to Tonks. He thought about his explanation before going downstairs to speak to Bill.

_Oh, I left my pregnant wife – who could be expecting a werewolf child – to search for my dead best friend's daughter, who happens to be the love of my life. I have no idea where she is or where Harry or Hermione or Ron are or what they're doing, but I figured I would just Apparate and Disapparate around the planet looking for them. They can't have gone too far. _

He scolded himself mentally. Yeah, that was a winning speech.

Lupin walked slowly down the stairs. He could hear the clinking of cups and plates and silverware as well as familiar voices. The smell of eggs and bacon reached his nostrils and his stomach growled. He hadn't really been eating much at all since he was saving every Knut he could for his unborn child. When he reached the downstairs, he saw a red haired boy sitting on the couch and staring out the window sadly. His neck was long and his shoulders were broad.

"_Ron_?"

The boy turned around quickly and Lupin's eyes widened as Ron Weasley stared back at him. Ron felt dizzy. "_Remus_?"

They both spoke at the same time. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Lupin crossed his arms and Ron jumped to his feet. They both looked awfully defensive and were stammering, trying to come up with a reasonable answer. "I – I –" began Lupin, screaming mentally. "I came here to find Darcy… and Harry and Hermione. And you!"

"You know where they are?" Ron asked excitedly, leaning over the couch.

"What do you mean do I know where they are?" said Lupin, shaking his head. "Don't _you_ know where they are? You left with them! Answer me – why are you here?"

"I don't know where they are," Ron answered quietly. His face turned bright red and Lupin cocked an eyebrow. His heart was heavy; Ron was his only clue and he had no idea where his friends were. "I left them a little bit ago and have been trying to find them ever since, but I haven't had any luck. They could be anywhere by now. Why the hell are you looking for her, though? Shouldn't you be at home with your wife?"

"That's personal. You don't hear me scolding you for leaving, do you?" growled Lupin. Ron grinded his teeth. "Look, finding them will be a lot easier with both of us. We can team up. Where did you leave them?"

"I don't know – some stupid forest," snapped Ron, growing frustrated. "But you can't come with me! We all told you that you couldn't come! I don't know why you decided to change your mind when you knew the answer! If we do happen to find them, they'll be furious!"

"At least I'm brave enough to go out and find them instead of hiding out here," hissed Lupin and Ron drew his wand, pointing it at the older man. Lupin pulled his out to defend himself. "Hiding here until your friends get killed! Saving yourself instead of your friends!"

"Whoa, enough, enough, stop it!" shouted Bill and he came out of nowhere and slapped Ron's hand, causing his wand to fall to the ground. Lupin lowered his wand and tucked it back in the waistband of his pants. Bill turned to Lupin and stepped up closer to him. "Ron regrets leaving, you can see it. He doesn't need this from you. If anyone should be shouting at him, it should be me. I'm his older brother."

Lupin nodded slowly and ran his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry," sighed Lupin. "I lost control for a minute. I just need to find them."

"_Her_," Ron corrected him angrily. "You don't give a rat's ass about Harry or Hermione. You're only concerned about finding Darcy and that's it."

"You know that's not true," Lupin countered, although he knew that Ron was partially right. "I care about Harry and Hermione, too. I couldn't let anything happen to any of you! It'd kill me! I've been watching over you guys for four years now and I won't stop."

Ron was quiet, not believing him one bit.

"Listen to me," Lupin said. "I can help you find them. I know several places that Darcy would go first and we can start with those places."

"We aren't talking about this now," Ron murmured. "We'll talk about it later. I've been gone for the past three days looking and I want to take a break, okay? I need time to think."

"Fine, then I'll go by myself –"

"You said it yourself," Ron said, stopping him. "We'd be better off looking together. You won't get anywhere by yourself. You don't know where they've been or what they're doing. Just give me a break and we'll look again tomorrow. If you leave without me, you're as good as dead."

"That's why you're here?" Bill asked Lupin, crossing his arms. Bill backed away slowly and looked the other man up and down, shaking his head. Lupin nodded slowly and swallowed. "You've left your wife to go looking for Darcy?"

"I know this seems bad, but she told me to –"

"She told you? You listened to her?" Bill asked in disbelief. "You've broken the poor girl's heart! You married her while still in love with Darcy, you got her pregnant while still in love with Darcy, and now you've run off to go find Darcy!"

Lupin fell onto the couch and Ron sat down beside him. Lupin was rubbing his eyes, frustrated and confused. Ron ran a hand through his red hair and stared out the window at the beach.

"Did you even really think about this?" continued Bill, obviously angry. "Did you actually come up with a plan? Why did you come _here_? I don't understand how you could do this to Tonks!"

"What goes on between me and Dora is personal," Lupin whispered.

Bill stopped reprimanding Lupin and walked off to the staircase, climbing the stairs and muttering to himself. Fleur gracefully followed up the stairs, trying to calm him down in her thick French accent.

Lupin turned to Ron and bit down on his lip. "You don't think they're – I mean, they've got to be alive, right?"

"If they were dead, it would be all over the papers," Ron replied with equally as much worry in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right."

* * *

><p>"You sure you can't fix Harry's wand?" asked Darcy. She and Hermione were sitting at the rectangular table in the tent. Harry was keeping watch outside; he had begun to avoid talking to either of the girls, but they didn't blame him. Darcy knew that Harry was angry and she couldn't recall the last time he had been this angry. It was no use attempting to calm him down; he simply wouldn't listen to either of them. "I don't know how we're going to get him a new one. Unless we steal one from someone."<p>

"I could repair it, but it wouldn't work as well," Hermione sighed, turning the page of _The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore._ "Don't you remember during my second year when Ron's wand broke after crashing the car in the Whomping Willow? His wand was repaired, but it didn't work. He had to get a new one."

Darcy pursed her lips. She remembered very well Ron's wand being snapped right in front of her face. "It's worth a shot, though. If Harry doesn't have a wand and we're faced against Death Eaters or something, it's going to be a problem. It's going to make everything much more difficult for all three of us."

"I can't do anything about it!" Hermione shrieked and she quickly covered her mouth. Darcy's eyes flicked to her neck and saw that she was wearing the Horcrux. Her big brown eyes filled with tears and Darcy held out her hand, sighing.

"Give me the locket," Darcy instructed her. Hermione hesitated and did not move to take off the locket. "Give it to me, Hermione."

Harry poked his head through the flaps of the tent and saw Darcy taking the Horcrux off Hermione's neck. Harry's sister put the locket around her own neck shivering slightly as it fell against her chest. "Who screamed?" he asked quietly. His face was pale and his nose was red. He pulled down the scarf Darcy had let him borrow so she and Hermione could hear him.

"It was nothing," Darcy replied with a faint smile. "Don't worry about it."

Harry held onto Hermione's wand tightly and nodded slowly. "Just making sure you're okay."

He retreated back into the cold, windy air and Hermione looked up at Darcy. "Who's that?" Darcy asked, glancing at a picture of a young and beautiful girl in the book.

"Dumbledore's sister, Ariana," Hermione replied in a much more cheery tone than before. The Horcrux definitely affected her much more ever since Ron had left. She turned the book upside down so Darcy could see it better and continued. "Apparently, she was locked inside the Dumbledore house due to her health. He and Gellert Grindelwald parted ways because Dumbledore had to take care of her."

"_Grindelwald_?" hissed Darcy, snatching the book from Hermione's hands. "Dumbledore was friends with him? The one with the symbol – Lovegood – what?"

"That's him," Hermione nodded. "Dumbledore abandoned him because his sister was dying."

Darcy gave the book back to Hermione and the latter flipped through the pages quickly.

"And his brother, Aberforth, broke Dumbledore's nose."

The older girl raised an eyebrow, wondering what good that information was. "So?"

"At Ariana's funeral."

Darcy nodded and pulled Hermione's bag closer to her. She reached her hand in the seemingly endless bag and pulled out Exploding Snap cards. Darcy didn't expect Hermione to play with her; Ron was the only person in the group who would. She hadn't played any games since Ron left and she had to admit, she did feel lonely without the red headed Weasley boy. Darcy began to shuffle the deck of cards. It relaxed her. "I don't really feel like talking about this, no offense, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes widened as she closed the book loudly. "Sorry, I'll put it away." She threw the book on the floor and we sat in silence except for the shuffling of the cards.

"I'll take watch for a while," sighed Darcy. She stood up and grabbed her coat from off her bunk-bed. Putting a scarf around her neck, a hat on, and gloves, she went outside to see Harry sitting with his back facing the opening to the tent. "You can go inside and rest for a little. Hermione has some tea she can heat up for you."

Harry jumped and looked over his shoulder. He coughed and sniffled and sneezed; Darcy looked around to see if there were any herbs or plants she could make into a medicine so Harry wouldn't get a cold. "I'm okay," he said quietly, but Darcy shook her head, not in the mood to argue.

"Go inside and take a nap," Darcy pointed him to the tent opening. Harry shook his head.

"I'm fine, honestly," he replied, his voice a bit more cheery. "You look exhausted, though. Have you slept at all today?"

"Well, yes… not very well, but…"

"Then go inside and sleep," Harry instructed her. "And tomorrow, I'll use the entire day to rest up. Deal?"

Darcy shrugged and backed inside. Hermione was heating up more tea and pouring it into three separate glasses. "This is all the tea we have," Hermione frowned at her. "We're either going to not have tea anymore or find some herbs and leaves to use in the forest."

"Hermione, it's below freezing outside," Darcy chuckled, stripping down to her sweater and jeans. "I doubt there's going to be any living plants outside in this weather. But we can get water and heat that up."

"You're right," stammered Hermione, fretting over the amount of tea each person got. "I'll bring Harry's tea out to him."

Hermione grabbed one of the three cups and quickly went outside with it. Darcy could hear the faint voices of Harry and Hermione talking and she went to lay down on her bed. Darcy had never really noticed how uncomfortable the bed she was in was. It was good enough to sleep on, but she missed her own bed at Hogwarts. She missed the castle. She missed her friends. She missed Lupin. She missed Snape – _Snape_. She even missed her Aunt Petunia, who could be nice at times when they were alone. Whether Aunt Petunia snuck her tea or crumpets or let her help with the gardening – those were the best days of summer while she was stuck at that house.

Darcy closed her eyes and in a split second, she was asleep.

* * *

><p>"Remus! Remus! Professor Lupin!" Ron knocked as quietly, but as rapidly as he could on Lupin's bedroom door. Lupin's eyes opened slowly and he moaned, standing up and putting a shirt on. He opened the door and Ron was smiling up at him.<p>

"What the bloody hell…?"

Ron held something up in his face. Something that looked oddly like a cigarette lighter, but not quite. "I heard her," Ron whispered and Lupin raised an eyebrow. The older man grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him into the bedroom, shutting the door, locking it, and waving his wand so no one could hear their conversation. "She said my name. I heard it. She said my name and I heard it – it came from this."

"Who said your name?" asked Lupin desperately. "What time is it?"

"Hermione," Ron breathed. He smiled and held up the thing he was holding, completely ignoring Lupin's second question. He glanced out the window; it had to be close to two in the morning. "Hermione's voice came out of the Deluminator."

Lupin examined the thing in Ron's hand. So that was the Deluminator. "How do you know you just weren't dreaming?"

"It wasn't a dream," Ron shook his head. "I know I heard her say it."

"So what do we do now?"

Ron frowned. "I – I don't know."

"What does it do?"

Ron looked at Lupin and flipped the lights on by the switch. Then, Ron clicked the Deluminator. The lights went out, but the room was still lit up by another light that wasn't supposed to be on. Lupin turned around and looked out the window, seeing a floating, blue light right outside the panes.

"Is this normal?" Lupin pointed to the light. Ron was staring at it, confused, with his mouth slightly open. "Does it always do this?"

Ron shook his head; he wasn't being very helpful.

Lupin looked at the light again and bit his lip, stroking the beard that was growing on his chin. "It looks like a Portkey light, don't you think?" Lupin looked at the ground and breathed out heavily. "You don't think… maybe it could be – ?"

"Pack your things," Ron snapped, not angrily, but happily. "Pack your things. We've got to go after it. It's never done this before – this is a sign."

Lupin's heart was racing and he couldn't help but to smile. He dove to the trunk that was underneath his bed and he closed it and locked it. He had all of his things always packed, in case he had to leave immediately. Ron ran out of the room, tip-toeing back to his bedroom and Ron was the same way. They met down in the sitting room with their trunks packs. Ron was traveling very light, considering that he hadn't gone home after leaving Harry, Darcy, and Hermione and Lupin was traveling light, mostly because he didn't have a job or money to buy things. They both had the essentials.

Lupin followed Ron out of the house silently and into the garden. They looked around and found the ball of light – no bigger than Lupin's hand – hovering in front of them. It began to float away towards the shed and Lupin and Ron shared a confused look before following it. They breathed heavily, excited and ready for whatever this ball really was.

The ball of light stopped behind the shed and as the two men caught up to it, it stopped moving. It just sat there, pulsing and floating. Neither tried to touch it since they didn't know what it was.

Suddenly, the light moved closer to Ron and he stared at it, but did not move. The ball touched his chest and entered him. Lupin raised his eyebrows, and grabbed Ron's arm, afraid that he might be possessed, but Ron shook his head and touched the spot where the ball of light had just entered.

"Are you okay?" Lupin asked breathlessly.

"My chest feels hot…" Ron explained, rubbing his chest. He looked up at Lupin and gripped his trunk tightly in his left hand. "You've got to trust me. I know where they are, but I don't."

"What are you talking about?" Lupin asked, grabbing at his hair and pulling at it.

"You have to trust me if you want to find them," Ron said. "Hold onto my arm. I'm going to Disapparate."

Lupin quickly grabbed hold of Ron's arm and in a moment, they were twisting and turning painfully. Ron, not afraid of getting splinched, had taken the lead and even Lupin had to admit that he was impressed, speaking from a professor's point of view.

The two landed with a crunch as their shoes broke through three inches of snow. It was too dark to see five feet in front of them and they both shivered violently from the cold. It was much colder in the forest they landed in.

"Are you sure this is it?" Lupin whispered into Ron's ear as quietly as he could. "Do you even know where we are?"

Ron shrugged. "I have no idea where we are, but this is it. I know it."

"We don't have a tent."

"No."

"We have one sleeping bag."

"Yes."

"No map and no idea where we are."

"Nope."

"Let's keep walking, then," suggested Lupin and Ron looked him over. Lupin was determined as he lit up his wand. Ron did the same. There was a little bit of light and Lupin somehow hoped that Darcy's camp would be right in front of him, but after thinking it over, he knew that there would be protective enchantments all around their tent. He tried to smell for food or tea or something, but all he could smell was the musty and moldy air. The rotting tree smell was not helpful.

Lupin took the lead that time and Ron followed closely behind.

It wasn't long before something lit up the forest. Lupin pulled Ron behind a thick tree trunk and they extinguished their wands. Lupin peeked over the side of the tree and his jaw dropped.

_This is a dream._

_This is a dream._

_This is a dream._

"Is that a Patronus?" Ron asked.

So it wasn't a dream. Ron was seeing it, too.

"Hey, isn't that Harry's?" Ron continued eagerly. "His is a deer, right?"

"His is a stag," Lupin corrected him. "That one is lacking in the antlers department. I don't know whose it is."

Ron's voice lowered. "It's looking at us." He seemed petrified, like they had been found and caught and they were going to be murdered on the spot. Lupin, too, was a bit afraid, but the Patronus seemed too kind and gentle and innocent to lead them into a trap.

"Follow it," Lupin said boldly.

"Are you mental?"

"I trusted you," he reminded Ron. "Now trust me."


	18. Surprise Visitors

**SURPRISE VISITORS. **

_So close to Darcy. I know she's there. She's here somewhere. She's so close, I know it. I know she's alive. Darcy, come on, where are you?_

"Hey!" Ron hissed and Lupin snapped out of it. He looked around. How long had they been following that doe? Lupin had fallen behind Ron and the youngest one was now leading. Now that he was paying attention, Lupin realized how cold he was and he wrapped his arms around himself. "Stop drifting – you've been back there daydreaming the whole time."

"Sorry," muttered Lupin.

"Look," Ron sighed, turning around and stopping Lupin in his tracks. "The faster we do this, the faster we find _Darcy_ because I know that's the only reason you're here."

"Ron –"

"Don't do this," pleaded Ron. "Don't pretend that you're here for everyone else, too. Just because I'm not as good at spells as Hermione is or just because I'm not as experienced as Harry doesn't mean I'm not smart. Don't disregard me."

"I – I never have," Lupin said honestly. "There's a reason you're one of them."

"C'mon – we're going to lose the doe if we don't keep moving."

* * *

><p>Darcy woke up freezing. She wrapped the blankets tighter around her, but there was no way she could fall back asleep. She glanced over to the other bunk-bed and saw that Hermione was fast asleep, snoring lightly. Touching her neck, she realized something was missing – the Horcrux. Darcy sighed and stood up, grabbing her wand, putting another sweater over her head, and exiting the tent.<p>

"Harry –" She froze. Her head moved from side to side quickly, but there was no one out there. "Harry?" There was none of her brother's heavy breathing or the sniffling due to his cold. Her heart rate quickened and went to go call Hermione, but the last thing she needed was Hermione freaking out.

She poked her head in the tent and saw that Hermione was still sleeping peacefully. Backing out into the dark and empty woods again, Darcy lit her wand and looked around for footprints. When she saw Harry's, she was slightly relieved. They were regular foot prints and did not look like he was kidnapped and dragged away. Maybe it wasn't snatchers or Death Eaters. Maybe he was just out exploring. Harry did that often. He wandered away from everyone to explore, even without thinking about all the danger he could put himself into.

Darcy straightened up and held her wand down by the ground. She took one last look at the tent and snuck away, following her brother's footsteps. She could feel herself leaving the protective enchantments and she suddenly felt vulnerable and scared for her life. Every little noise scared her, every hoot from every owl and every flap of every bird's wings.

She must have walked for ten or fifteen minutes and she was freezing. The bottoms of her legs were cold as she treaded through snow and her fingers were more like claws instead of limbs.

There was a splash and Darcy froze again in her tracks, holding her wand up. She began to breath even heavier and she covered her mouth, trying to stop making so much noise. Then, furious splashing and the breaking of ice. She looked down and saw the footprints were leading up to the noise. Darcy could hardly speak – "Harry?"

Darcy broke out into a run as she ran towards the splashing sound, Harry's footprints still visible in front of her. She reached a small lake with a glowing light underneath. A small hole had been broken and underneath, someone was pounding at the ice. She got as close as she could – the ice seemed steady – and put her wand down.

"_Harry_!"

She looked around quickly and dropped her wand on the ground as she tore her sweaters off, not wanting to dive in and die of hypothermia. Darcy dropped her shirts down on the ground, next to where Harry's clothes were. She stripped down to her underwear and picked up her wand, walking over to the hole Harry had made.

Holding her breath, she went to dive, but a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist before she hit water and she screamed loudly. A rough hand clamped over her mouth and she flailed and kicked and was hit in the head by someone's elbow by accident. She bit down hard on the hand that was holding her mouth and there was a yelp in her ear.

A wand stuck in her back and she felt her body begin to tingle as she slid into a state of unconsciousness.

With Darcy out cold in his arms, Lupin dragged her back over to the tree as Ron jumped into the water with all his clothes on, trying to rescue Harry. Lupin held Darcy for a little bit, just looking down at her, but when he finally realized that she was in her underwear, he tried to pull her sweaters over her head again, trying to keep her warm. Although she was unconscious, she was shaking horribly and Lupin held her tightly, pressing his cheek to her's.

She was so different from the last time he had seen her at the Burrow. She was so skinny; her ribs stuck out from underneath her skin and her face was pale and sickly. She looked like some kind of zombie and she looked like she hadn't eaten a real meal in ten years. Had she been eating at all?

There was a large splashing noise and Ron came up to surface, dragging Harry along. Harry was sputtering, coughing up water, and he crawled over to his sister while putting clothes on. "How the hell – what are you guys – is she okay?" Harry stammered, looking from Ron to Lupin to Darcy.

"Darcy's fine," Lupin said immediately. "She just got a little worked up. What the hell is _that_?"

Lupin's eye caught a flash of ruby red in Ron's hand and the Weasley boy held up a sword. Lupin's eyes widened as he observed the goblin made sword in Ron's hands. It was the sword of Gryffindor. He nearly dropped Darcy at the sight of it. Her pants were half on, but she was still shivering. Lupin pulled her pants up and buttoned them, holding her close to him, underneath his traveling cloak. He picked up her wand and stuffed it in his cloak pocket.

"It was under the lake," Harry explained, wiping his face with his sweater. "The doe led me here."

"You saw it, too?" Ron asked incredulously. "We just followed it here. How come we didn't see you?"

Harry shook his head and held up his hand, showing everyone the locket. "Remus, you need to take Darcy back to camp. Just follow my footprints – that must have been how she found me here."

Lupin stood up, holding Darcy in his arms. It was so easy to carry her – she was ridiculously light. Her arms and legs dangled down and Harry looked at her closely. "What are you two going to do?" asked Lupin quietly, ridiculously afraid and tired. "You're coming back, aren't you?"

Harry hesitated, not wanting to tell Lupin what they were doing. Lupin still had no idea what the locket was that Harry was holding onto and he had no idea how Ron ended up with the Sword of Gryffindor. "We're going to destroy the locket," Harry explained with ease. "But you need to take Darcy back to camp before she freezes to death."

"What about you two?" Lupin was trying make sure everyone would be okay; he and Ron had come so far and he didn't want to lose anyone. "Harry, Ron – you two are wet –"

"We'll be fine!" snapped Ron and Lupin shook his head slowly, looking down at Darcy. "Go!"

"Hermione should be back in the tent," Harry informed Lupin. "She was sleeping when I left. Tell her everything is okay." As Lupin turned his back, Harry looked to Ron. "Ready?"

* * *

><p>It was dawn by the time Lupin found their camp. Well, he couldn't see anything due to the enchantments, but he knew he was close because Harry's footsteps had vanished and didn't go on. Darcy was still out cold and probably would be for another hour or so. His arms were tired of holding her, but he would not let her go, even if threatened with death. He was never going to let her go again, he knew that much for sure.<p>

"Hermione? Hermione?" he called out as he got closer.

Inside the tent, Hermione stirred, not very familiar with the voice calling her name. It certainly wasn't Ron's and it wasn't Harry's. She sat up quickly and saw that no one else was in the tent with her. Perhaps it was just her imagination; it sounded a bit like her father's voice. She was most likely still dreaming.

But then there it was again. "Hermione, help! Where are you?"

Hermione reached for her wand, but remembered that Harry had it. She was defenseless and didn't have a wand, so she clenched her fists and stood up, tip-toeing towards the opening of the tent. She looked outside and her blood stopped flowing. Her heart stopped beating. Her mind, however, was racing.

Standing right outside the protective enchantments was Lupin. She couldn't tell if Darcy was unconscious or asleep in his arms and he kept looking around, trying to find the tent and campsite. He was shaking from the cold, as Darcy was wrapped up in his traveling cloak. There was no blood and no sign of an attack, so Hermione calmed down slightly.

Hermione stepped forward, breaking a stick and Lupin jumped, looking right at Hermione, but not able to see her. "Is that you, Hermione? Oh, thank god –" Hermione didn't say anything, but Lupin thought hard. "You're probably wondering if it's really me, hm? Okay… er – ah, yes! In your third year, your boggart was McGonagall telling you that you had failed everything."

"Remus?"

The disembodied voice came from directly in front of him and he saw a hand appear from nowhere, grabbing his arm and pulling him closer. He blinked and saw that Hermione was now standing right in front of him, a bewildered look on her face, and a small tent was set up to the left of her. "Hi," was all he could say.

"What – how – the – why – how – where –"

"I need to get Darcy inside. She, er – fainted."

Hermione nodded and led Lupin inside the tent, shaking and in shock. She pointed out Darcy's bed and Lupin laid the older girl down, tucking her underneath her blankets and stroking her hair once gently. "What happened to her? And where's Harry? And how did you find us?"

Lupin turned around and held up a finger. He touched Darcy's hip, finding a pocket in his cloak. He pulled out about ten tea bags and held them up. "Do you have water?" he asked Hermione. "It's a long story."

Hermione heated up water in a rusty, old tea kettle and then poured some water into two mugs – one for her and one for Lupin. They sat down opposite each other and Lupin kept his eye on Darcy, waiting for her to wake up. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Her voice was high and shrill, like it usually got when she was angry.

He didn't want to upset her, so Lupin took a sip of his tea and put it down, holding his hands on top of the table. "Harry will be back soon," Lupin whispered, unsure of whether to tell her of Ron's arrival. He wanted to wait until Harry and Ron returned to camp, but he wasn't sure how long it was going to take. "What's going on?"

"Hold on –" Hermione scoffed. "You come here out of nowhere with absolutely _no_ warning and you expect me to tell you what it is we're out here doing?"

"Well, you don't have to tell me," replied Lupin, taking another sip of tea. "But you're stuck with me now and I'll find out eventually if you decide not to tell me."

"I don't think it's up to me to let you know," Hermione answered honestly, not wanting to be the one to spill everything. "If anything, it's Darcy or Harry's say."

Lupin looked at Darcy again. Hermione drank her tea, looking away from Lupin and at the table. There was a soft moan and Lupin jumped to his feet and leapt to Darcy's side, kneeling down beside her bed. She didn't seem to want to open her eyes. Lupin touched her cheek and she fell silent again, her chest rising and falling slowly.

The flaps to the tent open and Hermione turned quickly to see Harry smiling at her. "Ah, good, you're awake," Harry said brightly and Hermione raised an eyebrow. Harry's hair was still soaked and his teeth were chattering. "Is Darcy awake, yet?"

"I think she's just sleeping now," said Lupin, looking over his shoulder.

"Let her sleep, then," Harry responded and Hermione was a bit confused at Harry's chipper tone. "Hermione, would you like to come outside? There's someone here to see you."

"There's someone else?" Hermione asked, obviously annoyed. She crossed her arms and Harry nodded.

"Just come outside. Let them alone."

Hermione followed Harry and left Lupin and Darcy alone in the tent. Lupin, with his eyes weary and weak and tired, stroked Darcy's hair as she slept peacefully for the first time in weeks. She hadn't slept like that in so long; she never wanted to wake up. Lupin didn't want to wake her, but he wanted to talk to her and hold her and apologize for everything.

Lupin sighed. "Darcy?" he whispered in her ear.

She hummed a response lazily, not paying attention. She was snoring quietly and Lupin smiled.

"Darcy," he said gently. "Wake up."

"Hmm?" Darcy seemed to hear him that time, but her eyes didn't open. She was yawning. As she yawned, she covered her mouth. She sniffed, too. There was a strange smell surrounding her. It smelled like Lupin; she was surprised she remembered his scent after not seeing him for a few months. She frowned. It made her miss him more. "Harry? What is it?"

Finally, her eyes fluttered opened and she was staring directly into blue eyes. Blue eyes that were not Harry's and blue eyes that were not Hermione's. Darcy sat up slowly, still looking directly into Lupin's eyes. She rubbed her eyes and sighed, touching the cloak that was still draped around her shoulders.

Lupin smiled at her, revealing his teeth, which was rare. He had almost forgotten the exact green of her eyes. He had almost forgotten how many freckles were on her face.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" she breathed. "I've got to be. Oh, I'm getting a little dizzy…"

He shook his head slowly, lightly pushing Darcy back down so she could relax. "No," he replied, the smile never fading from his face. "This isn't a dream."

Expecting a warm welcome after months of being apart, Lupin touched her hands and leaned in quickly to kiss her, but he was stopped in his tracks. Darcy had shot up straight again and slapped him right across the face. He shouted, holding a hand to his cheek. She jumped out of bed and threw his cloak at him, smashing empty tea cups in her rage. Feeling around in her pockets and sweater for her wand, she looked at Lupin with anger in her eyes. "Where's my wand, Remus?" she yelled. "Where is it?"

Lupin reached in his cloak pocket, pulling out Darcy's wand and holding it up. He got to his feet and she lunged for her wand, but he held it up high, not giving it to her. "Darcy, listen, I –"

"You, Remus Lupin, are off your bloody rocker!" she screamed, smacking him across the face again. He swore loudly. "You're an absolute _twat_! I told you not to come here, you airhead! We all told you not to come! Don't you listen?"

He couldn't stop smiling at her. When she got very angry, her accent got thicker and she swore more. Although she had never been this angry at him, he had seen her complain about Snape plenty of times back at Hogwarts, just as angry. He caught her fists before she could punch him square in the face, but she didn't give up. Darcy was persistently throwing blows at him left and right, but none would hit him. "Darcy, please, listen to me –"

"No!" she shouted, stepping back from Lupin. Her face was red with anger and she brushed her auburn hair out of her face. Shaking her head, Darcy crossed her arms with teary eyes. "You were told not to come! I told you that we were on a secret – secret – mission – and why did you come here? How did you even find me?"

Lupin ran a hand through his hair. He sighed. "I came here for _you_," he replied softly, giving her the saddest face she had ever seen. Darcy was shaking her head still. "Ron and I – with help from the Deluminator – we found you –"

"_Ron _is back Ron's here?" repeated Darcy, her eyes widening. "Where is he?"

The older man's stomach churned. There was no mistaking the excitement in Darcy's voice when he mentioned Ron. She seemed happy that the Weasley was there. Wasn't she happy he was there? He had left his wife for her… a move that shouldn't have been made in the first place. Darcy was probably mad at him for leaving Tonks. Everyone most likely was. "He's outside, but listen, I need to talk to you."

Darcy threw her hands in the air. "You're going to explain why the bloody hell you're here? Why you think that you have the right to join us after we said 'no'? You think leaving your wife to join us on this mission was a good idea? Please, help me understand. Because I don't think I do."

"I – I missed you," Lupin shrugged. "You don't get it, Darcy. You don't understand. I dreamt of you. I was scared that you weren't going to make it out alive. I had to be here to protect you."

"We all protect each other and as you can see, we do a fine job. None of us are dead," Darcy countered. "We're still alive. We can take care of each other. Go home, Remus. You've got a family to take care of, too."

Lupin shook his head and moved closer to Darcy. "I'm not leaving. You don't have to tell me what you need to accomplish, but I promise you, I am staying here to make sure you don't get hurt."

Darcy flinched. "Get away from me."

"I thought you would be happy that I'm here!" Lupin retorted and Darcy's eyes filled with tears. She breathed in deeply, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I thought you would be happy to see me! I thought you missed me!"

"Of course I missed you!" Darcy cried, her voice getting louder by the second. "But I sort of got used to it after you decided to get married and have a child with someone who used to be my best friend!"

Lupin fell silent. "I'm sorry."

"That means nothing to me," scoffed Darcy. "You've only told me that a thousand times. Why don't you act like you're sorry? For once."

"Oh? I suppose that coming to protect you – finding you to help you – that doesn't count for anything? The fact that I'm here for good now means nothing to you?"

"Yes, leaving your pregnant wife while you search for your ex-student, ex-girlfriend, dead best friend's daughter is so admirable! How do I know you'll really stay? You've got a lot of problems, Remus Lupin."

"Fine, you want me to go?" Lupin threatened. "You really want me to go? If you don't want me to be here, then I'll leave. I'll go right now. I'll Disapparate from here if you don't want me here. Just tell me. It's easy enough leaving."

Darcy was quiet.

He raised his voice. "Do you want me to go or not?"

She licked her lips and stared at him. Of course she wanted him there, but she was trying to think about Harry and Hermione and Ron. Would Dumbledore want Lupin there? Would it be okay with Dumbledore if Lupin stayed? How would they continue their mission without letting Lupin know what was going on? Darcy shook her head; she had spent so much time thinking about other people, why couldn't she think about herself for once? "No."

"What was that?" Lupin asked again, cupping a hand to his ear. "I don't think I heard you."

"Don't be a bloody idiot. I'm only going to say it once."

There was a pregnant pause between the two. Yelling could be heard from outside. Hermione's voice was shrill and echoed throughout the forest. Darcy wanted to laugh, but she knew her timing was wrong. Laughing would make everything worse. "I missed you," Lupin whispered.

Darcy nodded, not wanting to say anything to him. Despite the fact that she didn't want him to leave, she was still angry at him.

"So," Lupin continued quietly. "Can I stay?"

Darcy's tear filled eyes lit up and she nodded, smiling weakly. "Yes."

Lupin smiled a smile of relief and he sighed, his shoulders relaxing and slumping. Darcy began walking forward and his heart raced. Lupin opened his arms, but his face turned bright red when she walked right past him, not even acknowledging his request for a hug. Darcy continued to the opening of the tent and she stuck her head out first, and then exited, Lupin following her quickly.

The scene was strange.

Ron was holding up a burnt and broken, golden locket in one hand as he saw Darcy step out and in his other hand was the Sword of Gryffindor, gleaming in the sunlight. Harry was smiling proudly as quiet fell over the five of them.

"What's going on?" Darcy squeaked.

"Did you know about this?" Hermione snapped in her face and Darcy raised an eyebrow.

"I – I just remember seeing Harry dive into the water," Darcy recalled, thinking hard for a moment. "And before I could go in, someone had caught me."

"That was me," Lupin cut in. "She was screaming and I didn't want to draw attention, so I, er – knocked her out for a little while."

"And – you -?" Darcy pointed at the locket and Ron grinned. "With the sword? It was – "

"The sword was at the bottom of that lake," Harry explained. "The Patronus led me right to it."

"Patronus?" asked Darcy.

Harry, Ron, and Lupin nodded and Darcy was having a hard time processing all of this information. Everything was happening so fast and everything was being thrown at her at once. She held her head in her hands as she thought and calmed down. "Oh, and I've got a new wand," Harry told his sister, holding it up.

"Where did you get that?" she crossed her arms.

"Ron took it off some Snatchers when he first left," Harry said. "It isn't mine, but it works, I suppose."

There was another awkward moment of silence and Darcy held out her hand. "Give me the locket, Ron. I'll put it back in the bag." Ron handed her the broken locket and Darcy looked it over, licking her lips. "Maybe we should all go to sleep for a little and let everything sink in."

Everyone nodded and agreed, not knowing what else to do. To test his new wand, Harry quickly casted some protective enchantments around the campsite, even though they were already protected. Darcy walked into the tent first, climbing underneath the blankets of her bed. Harry jumped up on the bunk above her. Ron got on top of the other bunk and Hermione slid under the blankets on the bottom bunk. Lupin stood awkwardly, looking at everyone else and rubbing the back of his neck.

As they all closed their eyes to sleep, he walked over to Darcy's bed and touched her shoulder.

"Don't you dare," she hissed as he tried to climb into bed next to her. "I'm still mad at you."

"Join the club," Ron mumbled from underneath his blankets.

Lupin sighed and dug through Ron's bag and found the one sleeping back they had. He laid it out next to Darcy's bed and wrapped the sleeping bag around him. It was freezing and he shivered on the floor, looking up at Darcy's warm figure.

She rolled over and looked at him. "Are you cold?" she asked him politely.

Lupin paused. "No, I'm fine."

Shaking her head, Darcy peeled one layer of blanket off her and sat up, draping the blanket over Lupin. Immediately, he felt warmer. "I know the floor is a bit cold, especially with it snowing so much," she sighed. "Here." She took one of her two pillows and put one underneath his head, smiling a small smile at him.

"Thank you," he whispered, touching her hand. His hand was surprisingly warm and her's was cold and lifeless. Their hands touched for longer than normal and she finally pulled away and got back in bed.


	19. Xenophilius Lovegood

**XENOPHILIUS LOVEGOOD.**

Lupin was up around four in the afternoon, before anyone else. Darcy was still sleeping soundly and as he woke, he put her blanket back over her and the pillow back under her head. She moaned a thank you and rolled over so her back was to him.

He spent about an hour picking out safe mushrooms to eat and catching fish that were nearly frozen to death. He also found some berries growing on a bush that was hiding underneath a large tree, so there was no snow on it. Lupin returned to the campsite with the biggest meal the three had eaten since Christmas.

Darcy woke up to the smell of cooking fish, but it smelled a little burnt. She coughed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and got up out of bed. No one else was still sleeping, so she assumed they were all outside. Wrapping a blanket around her and slipping shoes on, she walked outside of the tent to see Lupin roasting fish over a fire. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all sitting outside as the sun set quickly. Darcy sat down on a damp log next to Lupin as he put a whole fish on her plate. Everyone got a fish, some berries, and mushrooms. Darcy's stomach growled and she picked at her berries as her fish cooled.

"Thank you," she told Lupin and he nodded absentmindedly. "This is lovely."

"May I ask?" Lupin sighed. "What it is you four are doing out here in the middle of bloody nowhere?"

Harry and Darcy locked eyes. Hermione shrugged and Ron didn't seem to mind if Lupin knew about the mission. "I suppose if you're going to be staying here for good, you'll have to know eventually," Hermione told Lupin. "We can't keep it from him forever, Harry. Maybe he can help."

"I just – I'm confused. Did you come on a mission to destroy the locket? What was it? And why did you need the Sword of Gryffindor to –" His eyes widened. Darcy knew he wasn't stupid; he _was_ a former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and she hoped he knew or else he didn't know much at all. "The Sword is goblin-made, is it not? Which means – you needed it because you couldn't destroy the locket with – please, Darcy, tell me I'm wrong, but… have you four come out here to destroy a Horcrux?"

Darcy chuckled nervously and bit down on her lip. "Well, we've come out here to destroy six of them actually… but there's less than that left!"

"_What_?" Lupin bellowed.

Darcy stammered, counting the Horcruxes on her fingers. "Well, there was Tom Riddle's diary, but that was destroyed with a basilisk fang when Harry and I opened up the Chamber of Secrets… and there was the ring Dumbledore destroyed with the sword last year…" She looked to Harry and he nodded, picking at his fish absentmindedly. "And the locket that Harry and Ron took care of last night… and we don't know what the others are."

Lupin looked like the wind had been knocked out of him. He ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe this… Dumbledore told you to do this? Are you sure you just didn't misunderstand him?"

Harry shook his head instantly. "Dumbledore needed us to do this," Harry hissed and Darcy touched his arm, trying to calm him down. "We're going to follow this through until the end. It's the only way we can win this."

There were a few seconds of silence, but Hermione spoke up. "We need to start thinking again now that we're all together," she said, but no one really listened because they were focused on the food. "We need to think about the other Horcruxes."

"I already told you hundreds of times," Darcy responded, rather annoyed. "I think that Vo –"

"_Darcy, no_!" Ron screamed and Darcy's eyes widened as she was cut off mid-sentence. Darcy stared at Ron, her mouth full of mushroom. "You can't say his name! It's taboo! They'll be able to find you."

"What?" Darcy laughed.

"That's how the Death Eaters found us in Tottenham Court Road," Ron explained quickly. "We said his name and they found us immediately. You _have_ to say 'You-Know-Who', okay? Just trust me."

"Just by saying his name?" Lupin questioned and Ron nodded again. "That makes sense. You have to give them credit, those Death Eaters. They're smarter than they seem."

"Okay," Darcy swallowed the food in her mouth and continued, careful not to say his name. "Well, I think that You-Know-Who would hide his Horcruxes at Hogwarts and it makes sense. Hogwarts was You-Know-Who's home, right, Harry?"

Harry nodded in agreement. "He wouldn't hide them at the orphanage," Harry added. "What Darcy says makes perfect sense."

"Besides, Tom Riddle's diary was at Hogwarts," Darcy thought out loud. "Right? He's waiting for someone to find his Horcruxes, I'm sure."

"I'm sorry, but I do think we should be trying to figure out who cast that Patronus last night," Lupin interrupted and everyone looked up at him. "If we figure that out, we might be able to find someone else who is on our side."

"What was it again?" Hermione asked.

"A doe," Ron told her.

"Right, a doe," Hermione repeated. "I don't know anyone with a doe Patronus."

"That doesn't mean anything," Harry replied with a shrug, setting his empty plate down. With the fire in the middle of the five of them, it wasn't that cold, but the snow still began to pile up in their laps and on their heads. It didn't seem to bother anyone since they were all concentrating so hard on Horcruxes and Patronuses anyway. "Patronuses can change, can't they, Remus?"

"They can," Lupin said. "But only if something traumatic has happened to the person who is casting the Patronus. For example, Dora's Patronus changed…"

Darcy looked away from him, tapping her chin impatiently. She looked towards her brother. "Harry, it must have been someone close to you. Your Patronus is a stag and theirs was a doe. Am I right?"

Harry hummed in response. "It can't be just coincidence," Hermione said.

"That person wanted Horcruxes to be destroyed or they wouldn't have led you to the sword," Ron thought. "Maybe it'll pop up again?"

"We'll have to keep an eye out for it," Darcy muttered. "There isn't much else we can do."

* * *

><p>It was Darcy's turn to take watch that night. She had been outside for a while. She had an empty teacup in her hand and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Darcy was sure no one was going to intrude, so she kept her guard down and kept quiet so no one would hear anything going on.<p>

The sky was getting darker with every second. It was nearly three in the morning when Lupin slowly stuck his head out of the tent to check up on Darcy. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were all fast asleep, but Lupin tossed and turned in his sleeping bag, unable to get some rest.

He tip-toed out to where Darcy's figure was sitting and the sight of his shadow made her jump, pointing her wand at him. Lupin held up in his arms in self-defense and she lowered her wand slowly. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Lupin kneeled down beside her, handing her a full cup of steaming tea. Darcy sipped at it casually and he took the empty one from her. "You've been out here an awfully long while."

"Nothing new," replied Darcy tiredly. "Besides, I need to let them rest. They need the sleep more than I do."

"Darcy," Lupin said sternly, shivering as his knee touched the snowy ground. "You have bags underneath your eyes. Your eyes are bloodshot. You've been sitting in the cold for hours. You need to get some sleep."

"I'm okay," she waved him off impatiently. "But what about you? You should be sleeping, too."

"I couldn't sleep," Lupin answered, finding a slightly wet log across from Darcy and sitting on it. "I wasn't exactly comfortable."

"You can sleep in my bunk tonight," offered Darcy kindly. "When I go back in to sleep, I'll take Ron's bed. I think it's his turn next."

Lupin stared at her, but did not answer. He had much more important things to say. He didn't care about sleeping in a bed or a sleeping bag – no, he cared about her safety and wanted to let her know what he really thought.

She looked off into the distance. He couldn't understand how she hadn't collapsed. She nearly had a mental breakdown just years before. Had hunting Horcruxes really matured her that much? "Darcy, why couldn't you tell me about this?"

Darcy looked him over quickly and shook her head, heating up her cold tea with her wand. "Dumbledore wanted it to be the four of us," she answered. "My theory is that Dumbledore didn't want the Order of the Phoenix to be involved in this. He wanted to keep the amount of people who knew of the Horcruxes to be as little as possible."

"I understand, but surely Dumbledore knew of our relationship?" Lupin stressed. "What I don't understand is why he didn't trust _me_."

"I don't know."

Lupin looked directly into her eyes and sighed. "You scare me," he admitted and Darcy smiled weakly, shrugging her shoulders casually.

"I'm sorry."

"I honestly believed that when I found you, you would welcome me warmly," sighed Lupin. "But now that I think about it, I was a complete fool. I have hurt you in so many ways. I feel like an idiot for thinking you would take me back completely and suddenly."

Darcy hesitated. "I've got a lot on my plate right now, Remus," she whispered. "And honestly, I don't have time for petty problems like relationships."

"Of course, of course." Lupin cleared his throat. There was a moment of silence that wasn't exactly awkward, but neither of them were completely comfortable not talking. "Darcy, do you understand just how much danger you are in at this moment?"

Casually sipping at her tea, she nodded. "I do, actually. I understand that one simple slip up – like failing to cast an effective protective enchantment – could cost me and my friends our lives. I understand that we're leading ourselves directly to You-Know-Who. I understand that there are Snatchers and spies stationed everywhere looking for us. But do you know why I keep going?"

Lupin didn't answer. He was curious.

"Because I've grown up. I'm done running from my problems and crying and acting like a child. Instead of putting me first and putting my own problems first, I am finally thinking about everyone else in the world. I can't let them down. The entire world is counting on us four to defeat You-Know-Who."

"Maybe I was wrong about you," Lupin chuckled to himself.

"Excuse me?"

"I thought of you as a child still. I've always thought you a bit childish," he told Darcy. She raised an eyebrow and he continued. "But I have realized that these past months away from Hogwarts have changed you."

It was Darcy's turn to be quiet.

"You've always been selfless, Darcy," Lupin finished. "The reason you were such a mess at Hogwarts was because you continually put others before yourself."

She shook her head. "Am I doing a good job?"

Lupin smiled and jumped off of the log. He got on his knees in front of Darcy and reached for her hand. He took the empty teacup from her left hand and threw it on the ground. Lupin then touched her free hand and held it, lacing their fingers together. She did not protest or pull away. "Darcy," he breathed quietly. "You are doing an excellent job."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do."

Darcy smiled a small smile and Lupin bit down on his bottom lip, wanting to kiss her. She blushed and looked down at the ground. Lupin took this opportunity to press his lips to her forehead. Her hair was freezing and her skin was like ice. His lips warmed her bones and she shivered.

Lupin stood up and Darcy cleared her throat. He turned around to face her and she looked deep in thought.

"Who do you think sent that Patronus?" she asked him.

Lupin blinked. "Darcy, your mother –" She looked shocked and offended. Darcy opened her mouth to speak, but Lupin raised his hand, signaling for her to stop and let him continue. "Her Patronus was a doe."

"You don't think…" she stared right into Lupin's eyes and he shrugged. "That's impossible. That couldn't have been my mother…"

"I believe," continued Lupin. "That the person who sent the Patronus was not as close to Harry as to your mother."

Darcy took this into consideration.

"Goodnight."

* * *

><p>That next morning, everyone's stomachs were growling. They had absolutely nothing to eat. All their spare food was gone and no one could find any berries. It had snowed heavily overnight and covered everything in inches of pure, white snow. The five tried to ignore their gnawing stomachs, but it was hard to.<p>

Four of them sat around the wooden table in the tent and looked down at their hands, twiddling their thumbs, trying to decide what to do or where to go next. Hermione was flipping through the pages of her book in the top bunk, bundled up in her blankets.

After a few minutes of complete silence, the four heard Hermione hum to herself and flip rapidly through the pages. She jumped down from the bunk bed and walked over to the foot of the table, slamming _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ on the table and making everyone jump.

"I want to go see Xenophilius Lovegood," she announced and Darcy snorted, shaking her head. Lupin, who was next to her, cocked an eyebrow. Harry and Ron started laughing with Darcy, as well. Lupin was ready to hear Hermione's reasoning – he always admired her level-headedness in the group. She frowned. "What?"

"I'm sorry –" Harry said, wiping a tear from his eye and elbowing Ron. "What?"

"Look," she huffed, opening up her book and pointing above a chapter title. "It's that mark I showed you before – the one from the grave at Godric's Hollow. Now, hang on." She retreated back to the bunk bed, where she dug around in her bag and pulled out another book.

"You went to Godric's Hollow?" Lupin whispered to Darcy and she nodded. "Did you see -?"

Darcy nodded again, sadly. He sank back in his chair and looked back up at Hermione. She opened up Dumbledore's biography and flipped through to a page with a handwritten letter on it. At the bottom, near Dumbledore's signature, was the same symbol. "And Darcy, Xenophilius was wearing this at the wedding, right?" Hermione continued.

"He smacked me in the face with it," Darcy snorted. "But honestly, I doubt that it had anything to do with Dumbledore. You know the Lovegoods… it was probably coincidence."

"Coincidence or not," Hermione scolded Darcy. "We have to go see. It could be a clue – a step closer to finding the next Horcrux! What else have we got to do?"

Everyone was quiet, thinking rationally in their own heads. The five locked eyes several times, but looked away, not wanting to be the first to agree with Hermione's ludicrous suggestion. But Darcy was beginning to think that it wasn't so ludicrous. After all, Luna and her family had supported Darcy and her brother throughout their years fighting Voldemort at Hogwarts. Maybe the triangle eye symbol was a support symbol? Something to let everyone know they were on the Potters' side?

"But we don't need another Godric's Hollow," Harry finally said, making Darcy jump and clear her head. "We thought that we'd be safe there, but look what happened. What if the Lovegoods' are against us?"

"But this symbol," Hermione said frantically, holding up the book and pointing at the triangle again. "It's everywhere! We had no idea what we would find at Godric's Hollow. At least this time we've got something to go on. And – and Dumbledore left me The Tales of Beedle the Bard – he must have known that I'd find the symbol. It's obviously important!"

Harry put his head in his hands and Darcy touched Lupin's elbow gently, looking up at him. Lupin's head turned quickly to look her in the eyes and she nodded. Lupin smiled slightly at her. "I think we should go," Darcy whispered and Lupin nodded. She knew he would take her side, but not just because of his feelings for her. Lupin knew that Hermione was right, as well. "The Lovegoods' are not bad people, just a little off."

"I agree," Ron muttered and everyone turned to look at Harry. Lupin noticed that Darcy was still touching his arm and he said nothing. She didn't seem to be paying attention at all to him, but to her brother, who was still conflicted.

Harry gave his best friend a dark look and Ron blushed, looking down at his hands, which were folded neatly on the table in front of him.

"Harry," Darcy assured him, pulling away from Lupin. "It won't be anything like Godric's Hollow. Luna and her father have been rooting for us this entire time."

"Those in favor of going to see Xenophilius, raise their hands," Ron said loudly and his hand was in the air first. Hermione's went up slowly and Lupin and Darcy looked at each other, putting their hands up last. Harry looked around the table and shook his head, running a hand through his shaggy hair. "Outvoted. Sorry, Harry." Ron gave Harry a clap on the back and looked around at everyone, smiling.

"Fine!" Harry announced angrily, throwing his hands up. "But once we talk to the Lovegoods', then we're looking for Horcruxes, okay? Do any of you even know where they live?"

"Not too far from my place," Ron told them all instantly.

"Just over the hill," breathed Darcy, remembering exactly how the night of the wedding played out. Luna had told her that. Lupin looked at Darcy and she was staring up above Ron's head. "That's what she said to me. She didn't know whose wedding it was – thought it was…"

"Um," Lupin cut in, staring strangely at Darcy. "We'll be leaving soon?"

"This afternoon," Hermione said, standing up and putting her books away. It seemed like she already had the entire trip planned out. Almost as if she had been planning it for days or even weeks. "We can try to find some food and then we'll pack up and leave."

Darcy nodded and everyone stood up except for her and Lupin. They remained seated at the table. Ron and Harry went outside to try Harry's new wand and Hermione followed after them, just happy to have Ron back (even though she was trying very hard to stay angry at him). Darcy watched her leave and then turned in her seat to Lupin, who she caught staring right at her. She smiled. "Would you like to play chess?"

Lupin beamed. "I'd love that."

Darcy jumped up, ecstatic that someone was now around to play games with and have fun with. She dug around in Hermione's band for the board and chess pieces and set it up at the table they ate at. Thinking about something other than food was making her less hungry and more energetic. Lupin smiled at her – she had been practicing because her set up was much quicker than usual.

"You move first," he reminded her and she nodded, smiling down at her pieces.

She first commanded her pawn two spaces forward and nodded at Lupin as he thought. However, the thoughts running through his head were not of chess. There were so many thing he wanted to ask her, but wasn't sure which topic to bring up first. "You saw your parents' graves?" he finally said, hoping she wouldn't be too upset to talk about it.

"Yes," she replied, still waiting for him to take a move. He did so and it was her turn again. They decided to move the pieces manually so they wouldn't have to interrupt the conversation. "Hermione, Harry, and I. Just recently, actually. We left, um, Christmas Eve, I believe. I haven't really been keeping track of time, to be honest."

Lupin said nothing, but he watched her as she carefully thought out her next move. She licked her lips and scrunched her nose, finally deciding to move one of her knights.

"We walked into a small – uh – cemetery," Darcy cleared her throat, obviously getting choked up. She was beginning to stammer and stutter, but she continued to speak. "And we found Kendra and Adriana Dumbledore first." Lupin's eyes widened and he cocked an eyebrow. "We saw the triangle mark again on another grave and then – then we found my parents."

There was a long, awkward silence and Darcy looked up at Lupin, tears in her eyes.

"I kept thinking about you and how much I wished you could be there with me. Mourning my parents. It was so sad."

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's all right," she sniffed and wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve. "It happened a long time ago."

"No," Lupin shook his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

"But you're here now," smiled Darcy. She was still visibly upset and she shook her head, laughing at herself. Harry's laughter could be heard from inside the tent. After a few chuckles from him, Ron and Hermione began to laugh to. Darcy continued to laugh quietly. "I'm so afraid. I've been so scared."

Lupin stared at Darcy from across the table, his mouth slightly agape. What was he supposed to do?

"I've been trying so, so hard to keep them safe and to keep them happy. And I worry that some days they just want to die. They don't want to continue. Oh, Remus, they're only children."

"As are you," Lupin told her. "Which is why I'm here."

She shook her head. "You shouldn't be here, though. You need to leave before you get killed."

"I won't leave," Lupin protested. "I'm staying here."

"Remus, don't you understand that – that sometimes – sometimes I think about just ending it all. All four of us. Before we reach You-Know-Who. I would make sure they wouldn't suffer because I know He will want them to. I can't watch that happen after everything we've been through. I can't watch them reach the end and not win."

The chess game had been put on hold. Darcy wiped a tear from her eye and turned away. Lupin stood up quickly and moved around the table to sit beside her. "Come here," he breathed and Darcy looked up into his blue eyes and moved closer, allowing him to hold her. He brushed her hair out of her eyes and put his cheek to her forehead; her body surged with unusual warmth. She closed her eyes and sank into his loving and reassuring hold. "I am not going home," he told her honestly. "I am not leaving you. You need me, Darcy, just as much as I need you. Together – you and me and everyone else – we'll beat You-Know-Who. We'll win, but only as long as you keep fighting."

Darcy maneuvered gently and rested her head against Lupin's chest, listening to the song of his steady heartbeat.

* * *

><p>The five arrived a little past Ron's house, getting an excellent view of the nearest village. Darcy stared at the organized buildings and smiled to herself. They did not move as if in a hurry; Hermione began to walk, but slowed to a stop, breathing a huge sigh of relief. They all felt safe for the first time in a long time. Darcy could finally breathe and think clearly.<p>

"I think it's this way," Ron said, breaking the silence and pointing a little ways west, down a large hill.

Four of them began to walk, but Darcy waited behind. She looked around and shrugged her shoulders. Lupin turned around to find her and stopped in his tracks. He ran up to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the rest of the group.

The five of them walked for a few hours and when Lupin was beginning to lose his breath, a large building was visible about a mile away. A cute little cottage was standing there and it looked almost too normal to belong to the Lovegoods'.

"You don't think they've gone away from Christmas, do you?" suggested Hermione.

"This can't be their house," Darcy responded, pressing her face to the window and looking inside. "It's too normal. Besides, these are all Muggle flowers. Luna would probably have… unusual flowers growing. Let's keep going. One more mile." She looked at Lupin, who was obviously tired and sick. The full moon was coming up – she mentally made a note to make some Wolfsbane, or at least attempt with what ingredients she could find in the wilderness. She walked up to Lupin while everyone continued and frowned. "Are you okay?"

Lupin nodded. "Yes."

"Do you need water?"

"Please."

Darcy handed Lupin her jug of water and he took a long drink. "I'll try to make your potion tonight. I – I don't know how effective it'll be since the ingredients –"

"I brought some," he interrupted, handing Darcy her water back. "I have some for you make it with."

She smiled a small smile and nodded towards the other three, who were well ahead of them. A few more miles west, Darcy stopped, looking at the house before them and grinning. "Luna," she whispered.

It was tall and skinny, almost about to fall over, with flowers that Darcy had never seen before sitting on the windowsills. The front garden looked ridiculous and although she hadn't paid much attention in Herbology, she was sure that she was never taught about those colorful and strange plants.

"C'mon!" Ron shouted, running down the hill, taking huge strides. Smiling, Hermione and Harry followed, running not quite as fast.

Darcy looked up at Lupin. "I'll race you," she teased and took off running, much faster than Lupin could have gone.

"Oh, come on!" Lupin groaned, running after her and attempting to laugh at the same time.

Upon reaching the fence, Darcy read the three wooden signs outloud. She took over as leader of the group – which she usually was – and cleared her throat. "The Quibbler, Editor: X. Lovegood." She read the second. "Pick your own mistletoe." And the third. "Keep off the Dirigible Plants."

Everyone lifted their feet, looking to see if they stepped on any. Darcy honestly wasn't entirely sure what a Dirigible Plant was. She led them all up to the front step and looked around to see if anyone else wanted to be the person to knock on the door.

"C'mon, Darcy, don't be so scared," Ron joked and Darcy scoffed. She knocked quickly on the front door and suddenly felt her heart racing uncontrollably. She was trembling, so she stuffed her hands in her pockets, feeling for her wand.

She waited almost ten seconds and then the door opened. She was taken aback. Xenophilius Lovegood looked like an absolute mess. Instead of having straight and brushed hair like at the wedding, it was like Darcy's – dirty and unkempt, which was weird, because at least Xenophilius had the option to wash his hair.

"Who is it?" he barked, hiding behind the open door. He poked his head around again and Darcy tilted her head. "What do you want?"

"Sir," Darcy began. "We met at the wedding this summer – Bill and Fleur's wedding. I – I'm Darcy. Darcy Potter."

"Yes…" he grumbled to himself. "I know who you are."

"Um," stammered Darcy, turning back to look at her friends. "Do you think it'd be all right if we came in? It's a bit cold out."

Darcy stepped forwards, but Xenophilius would not open the door for them to come in. "I don't think it advisable," he retorted. He kept looking around the garden as if expecting to see something or someone.

"It won't take long, sir," begged Darcy. "I just have a simple question to ask you."

"Quickly!" he scolded them all, letting the five of them in. It wasn't much warmer in the house, but Darcy removed her hat and mittens, stuffing them in her coat pockets. The room was a giant circle and strange furniture crowded the whole room. In the middle of the room was a spiral staircase and she tried to look up, but couldn't see much. She heard bangs and loud noises and was about to ask for Luna, but Xenophilius led them upstairs.

The noises she had heard were not Luna, but in fact items creating things magically. They were floating there, working, almost like at the Burrow. It looked to be like Xenophilius's office. Papers were being written and printed and copied – she recognized the cover pages as the cover page to the Quibbler.

"Why are you here?" Xenophilius asked them, completely preoccupied with his work.

Darcy had no time to answer. Lupin had leaned in towards her and whispered in her ear to look at the wall to her left. "Do you see it?" he asked her quietly. "Do you know what that is?"

He seemed panicked and Darcy took a good look at the grey horn, but had no idea what it was. She shook her head and Lupin whispered to her again.

"An Erumpent Horn," he said. "It's very dangerous and will explode at the slightest touch –"

"It is not!" interrupted Xenophilius and Lupin stood straight up. "It's the horn of a Crumple Horned Snorkack!"

Hermione shook her head, knowing what it was.

Xenophilius had raised his voice. "Now _why_ are you here?"

"W – we need help," shrugged Darcy, trying to sound as nice as possible. She didn't want Xenophilius exploding at them and she certainly didn't want anything to happen where the Erumpent Horn would explode (of course she believed Lupin over Xenophilius, the loon).

"That's dangerous," sighed Xenophilius, looking out the window and rubbing his chin.

"But in your magazine – you – you've been on our side!" argued Darcy and Lupin touched her shoulder to calm her down. The blonde man turned to the five of them and his eyes found Harry's scar. He fixed his hair and flattened it to cover his forehead.

"I have expressed… that view," answered Xenophilius.

"Ah, but helping us isn't your job, is it?" Ron snarled. "It's for everyone else to do."

Hermione glanced about the room. "Where's Luna? We can see what she thinks."

"She – she's down at the stream…" Xenophilius told her and looked away, out the window again. "But she will return soon, I believe. I'll go call her and then I – yes, I will try to help you."

Xenophilius left the room, climbing down the spiral staircase and the five of them heard the front door open and then shut. "There's something not right with him," Harry thought outloud, pacing back and forth. "There's something different."

"We're refugees, Harry," Darcy replied. "Of course he's going to be afraid to help us. If anyone finds out he's seen us or talked to us, he'll probably be killed."

"He's just a coward," Ron spat. "Telling everyone else to help us, but he can't. The most he can do is write a stupid bloody magazine."

"He's got a daughter to worry about," Lupin added. "Luna is friends with you guys – she'll be killed off for sure if Death Eaters find out about this. You can't be too upset with him. He's already crazy to begin with." Harry went over to examine the horn on the wall, but Lupin grabbed his coat and pulled him back. "Don't get near that. He doesn't know what it is."

The front door opened and closed again and after a bit of banging from downstairs, Xenophilius climbed the stairs with a tray of tea. "Sit, sit, please," requested Xenophilius. "Luna is so excited you all are here – she won't be long."

Darcy lunged for a cup of tea and drank it gratefully, but almost spit it back up. It was disgusting and she put the cup back down, swallowing the liquid and trying to hide her horrified face from Xenophilius.

"Now, Miss Potter," the man said to her. She looked at him and wiped her mouth with her hand. His legs were crossed and he was sitting straight up, looking at her seriously. "You needed help?"

She nodded and her friends looked to her. On her left was Lupin, on her right was Harry. She heard Harry swallow nervously and could hear Lupin's shaky breathing. Or maybe it was her own heart that sounded loud and her own shaky breathing and her swallowing. "At the wedding this summer," she said, trying to remember everything. "You were wearing a – a necklace? It looked sort of like an eye… um…" She looked to Hermione, who nodded. "A triangle?"

"You're referring to the Deathly Hallows?" Xenophilius asked, raising his eyebrows.

"The what?" Darcy asked and Harry tried the tea. He nearly choked and Darcy patted his back gently.

"The Deathly Hallows. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. Very few wizards truly believe."

"I don't understand," Darcy continued. Everyone was paying close attention to Xenophilius at this point. "I – I'm sorry."

"Believers," Xenophilius explained, talking with his hands. "They seek the Deathly Hallows."

"But what are they?" Hermione interrupted. She wanted to know – she didn't want a silly explanation from a silly man. They all thought that he had gone crazy, but Darcy somewhat believed he was telling the truth.

Xenophilius looked at her and smiled. "I assume that you are all familiar with the Tale of the Three Brothers?"

"No," Darcy and Harry said at the same time.

Everyone else had said yes. Darcy looked at Lupin and he licked his lips. "You grew up with Muggles – there was no way you would have known."

"The Tale of the Three Brothers is where it all begins," Xenophilius stood. "I believe I have it somewhere –"

"I have a copy," Hermione said, digging around in her bag and pulling out _The Tales of Beedle the Bard._ "Right here."

Xenophilius sat down and grinned again. "Perhaps… you could read it to us? Outloud?"

Hermione opened to the middle of the book and looked strangely at Xenophilius, who had his eyes closed. She cleared her throat and began.


	20. Torture

****probably my favorite chapter to write, as sick as that seems. enjoy.

**TORTURE. **

Hermione had stopped reading and Darcy was still staring at her, trying to understand. It was just a stupid children's story and she didn't quite get it. How was the triangle linked to the story? How was a kids' story linked to Horcruxes? To Voldemort? To anything? Hermione cleared her throat and Xenophilius jumped; it seemed like he had no idea Hermione had finished.

"Well, there you are," Xenophilius said, his gaze falling on Darcy. His eyes searched her face, more specifically, her forehead – he was looking for a scar to match her brother's, but alas, there was none. She turned to Harry, noticing Xenophilius's conspicuous staring and the pair of siblings stared at each other.

It was, indeed, a fascinating story that the Potters' hadn't heard before, but Harry was just as confused as his sister.

"I – I'm sorry," she shrugged and chuckled. "But I still don't quite understand."

Xenophilius stood up quickly, almost knocking over the tea trey and he searched desperately for a piece of parchment and a quill. He slammed it down on the coffee table between the five and they all leaned in, watching closely as Xenophilius began to draw with his terribly shaky hand.

First, he drew a vertical line down the parchment and Darcy scratched her head and turned to look at Lupin. Surely he would have known about the Deathly Hallows? He was an ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Darcy assumed that he knew everything – after all, he was so _smart_…

Snapping back to reality, she heard Xenophilius utter the words, "The Elder Wand." Out of the corner of her eye, Darcy saw Lupin nod shortly, stroking the stubble growing on his chin. On top of the straight line, the older man drew a circle. "The Resurrection Stone." Darcy cocked an eyebrow. Finally, he drew a triangle to draw the entire symbol together. It was the eye that Darcy remembered. "The Cloak of Invisibility. Together, they are the Deathly Hallows."

Hermione stammered and Darcy was still staring at the parchment, trying to pull everything together. "I'm sorry, again, Mr. Lovegood," Hermione muttered. "But the story doesn't say Deathly Hallows anywhere. Are you sure -?"

Xenophilius gave Hermione a dirty look and she put her head down, staring at her feet. He scoffed. "Of course not, you silly girl," he replied hotly. "The story is for children and is made to amuse them, not to inform them. The Hallows, if united, will make the possessor master of Death."

Darcy snorted and Lupin touched her arm. She had gone a step too far and Xenophilius now looked angry that she had attempted to call him out. "That's ridiculous," Darcy smiled and looked at her friends. They all had straight faces and were not laughing along with her. "This is a childrens' story. There's no such thing as the Hallows. Don't tell me you actually believe…?"

"Of course, I believe," Xenophilius said smugly. "You do not think they are real? What do you think the story was written about?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, her voice rising with anger. "Perhaps an Invisibility Cloak? You can find them – there are more than one in the world –"

"But the one true one," Xenophilius continued, interrupting Darcy before she could finish. "One that will give you constant concealment no matter what spells are cast… Have you ever seen more than one of those? How many have you ever seen?"

Hermione quickly shook her head while Xenophilius wasn't looking and Darcy shrugged. She turned to Harry, whose green eyes were wide. He was staring at the picture, still.

"I still think it's a load of bollocks," Darcy grumbled and leaned back in her seat.

Xenophilius stood up, his nose scrunched. He grabbed the tea trey, even though no one had finished their tea. "Shall I fetch some more? I'll see if my lovely Luna is on her way."

The older man left the five alone and Darcy rubbed her eyes. "We need to get out of here," she whispered and everyone nodded.

"He's bloody insane," Ron added and Hermione gathered her bag. Harry was still deep in thought.

Darcy turned to Lupin, who looked confused, still, just as Harry was. "Did you know about the Hallows?" she breathed in Lupin's ear and he got chills. Lupin closed his eyes and nodded.

"I was taught," he answered just as quietly. "But I never believed. However, Harry does have an extraordinary cloak, but I – I have a hard time believing in the others."

"Let's go," Hermione said and the five hurried towards the staircase, running down. Xenophilius was in the kitchen, staring out the window and when he heard all the footsteps, he rushed to the door, blocking it with his body. Darcy reached in her pocket and wrapped her hand around her wand, prepared to blast him out of the way in case he decided to fight back. "I'm sorry, Mr. Lovegood, but we've got to be on our way now. Tell Luna we said 'hello', all right? Thank you for –"

"_No_!" shouted Xenophilius and everyone jumped. "You can't leave!"

"Mr. Lovegood," Lupin tried to explain, but Xenophilius wouldn't listen.

"They've got my Luna – they took _my_ Luna…" the older man whimpered sadly. Darcy's breath hitched – Death Eaters had taken Luna? Her stomach churned at the thought of what they might have done to her. "They didn't like what I was writing in my magazine, you see… But I thought… perhaps, they would give her back if I – I –"

"Hand over Harry?" suggested Hermione.

"Out of the way," Ron said. "We're leaving now, Mr. Lovegood."

"I must save Luna…" Xenophilius continued to cry, his thin and weak body still blocking the only exit.

Hermione screamed. "_Harry_!"

Black smoke had begun to encircle the Lovegood household, but upon further inspection, Darcy saw that it was not smoke. Xenophilius had brought Death Eaters to the house in the hopes that they would capture Harry and his friends. Xenophilius pulled his wand out and attempted to blast Darcy, but Lupin pushed her to the ground and the spell hit the ceiling. The roof began to collapse and a beam of wood hit Darcy in the head. She held her head steady as everything around her was spinning in circles, but she sighed and got on her hands and knees, moving away from the falling debris.

"Oh, no…" whispered Lupin and Darcy saw what he was staring at. The Erumpent Horn was hanging by a thread, threatening to fall. There was a loud snap and Lupin threw himself over Darcy as the horn hit a beam of wood and exploding, causing parchment and quills and machines to fly everywhere.

Footsteps got louder, but Darcy could not see, for Lupin was still covering her. There was heavy breathing to her right and she turned her head, seeing Harry next to her. Hermione was to Darcy's left and she pressed her finger to her lips. Darcy's leg was falling asleep, but Lupin would not get up, afraid the Death Eaters would find him. The five of them were down on the ground against the wall, covered in debris and hidden from the Death Eaters' sight.

"Potter isn't here," said one of them, sighing loudly and angrily. "It's just loony Lovegood praying to get his daughter back again."

There was a rough sound and Xenophilius grunted in pain. Darcy cringed. "No – they're all here! All of them! Potter and – and – the others!" Another smack and another cry of pain.

One other Death Eater breathed in, sounding quite bored. "_Homenum Revelio_." Chills swept through Darcy's body and she could feel Lupin's chest – moving up and down heavily – pressing into her back. "There's someone here, Selwyn."

"Ah," laughed the other Death Eater. "Show us, Lovegood, and we'll give you your daughter back. But this better not be a trick or your daughter is as good as dead."

Xenophilius scurried towards the staircase, which was half broken and blocked off by debris. He was looking around the room, moving things and he was getting closer to the five. Darcy was shaking; the footsteps were so close. She thought for sure they had been spotted.

"Let's leave," Ron whispered and Lupin rolled off of Darcy, staying very close to her.

"You have to trust me," Hermione told them all, panicked. "Remus, Ron – we're going to put the cloak over us three… just try to fit… Okay…" Darcy reached for the cloak, but Hermione slapped her hand away. "Hold my hand, Darcy, c'mon – Harry, grab my arm. Just wait…" Lupin wrapped an arm around Darcy's waist tightly.

Suddenly, the beams of wood in front of Darcy were cleared and she was looking into Xenophilius's wide, sad eyes.

Hermione pointed her want at him. "_Obliviate_!" she cried. The Death Eaters looked over at them and looked at Harry and Darcy hungrily. The other three were hardly visible; only their feet were showing.

"Hermione!" screamed Darcy and before Hermione could answer, they were spinning and Darcy had to close her eyes as they Disapparated. She could feel Harry's hand squeezing her's tightly and Lupin was holding her just as tight. It was lucky for her, really, because there was no way she would be able to stand after what just happened. Darcy's whole body was shaking – Hermione had almost gotten them killed.

* * *

><p>Darcy felt her body smack against solid ground and immediately opened her eyes to hear arguing. "What the <em>bloody<em> hell was that?" Ron shouted at Hermione and tears sprang to her eyes.

"A good idea!" Lupin defended her confidently. "She had to let the Death Eaters see Darcy and Harry or else they would have killed Luna!"

"It was Godric's Hollow all over again!" Hermione squeaked and Darcy pushed herself up, standing on her own two feet. She touched her temple and felt a gash in her head with dried blood stuck to her cheek. She wiped it off and shook her head. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know –"

"That man is a lunatic," Darcy snapped, angrier than usual. "We _never_ should have gone there in the first place. What the hell is the Deathly Hallows? They don't actually exist – he's insane!"

"We've got the cloak," Harry shot back at his sister. "Who's to say the other two don't exist?"

"Don't tell me you actually believe that stuff," Darcy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. The five hadn't even thought to put up security charms to keep them safe – they were too busy arguing their own opinions.

"I do," Harry said, breathing heavily. His fists were clenched in rage. "I've got one and I know that You-Know-Who is after the Elder Wand. He doesn't want the Resurrection Stone – he wouldn't want to bring anyone back. And he doesn't want the cloak – he just wants power."

"Harry, you're getting carried away," Hermione told him.

"I'm not! Remus – you believe in them, right?" Harry turned to the old professor and Lupin shook his head, and then nodded.

"I – I'm not quite sure… It is a childrens' story, after all…"

"Oh, don't you dare take my sister's side just to defend her!" Harry growled. "Ron!"

"It sorta fits…" Ron shrugged, not quite sure whose side to take. "But we aren't on a mission to find the Hallows… we're supposed to find Horcruxes. So maybe once we destroy all those – then maybe… we can look for Hallows…"

"Harry, we aren't going to find the Hallows at all," Darcy sneered. "It's not a quest for us to complete – it's a story. You're obsessed with this – focus on the real mission at hand!"

"You-Know-Who isn't looking for the Elder Wand," Lupin continued. "He's looking for us – for _you_! Because he knows that we are destroying his Horcruxes. They're apart of his soul – he knows when we've destroyed one!"

Harry's face was red. "Why are you all so determined not to admit it? Vol –"

"HARRY, NO!"

"- demort's after the Elder Wand!"

"The name's Taboo!" Ron shouted at his best friend as there was a crack behind the five of them.

Death Eaters and what looked like Snatchers appeared from nowhere and Darcy backed into Lupin. "Run," he whispered in her ear and Darcy bolted. The other four followed after her as curses and jinxes were launched at them from behind. Darcy avoided tripping over roots and bushes, running as fast as she could. She kept trying to jinx the men following her, but they were too fast.

Darcy's legs were about to collapse; her breaths were short and quick. She was determined not to get caught, but she knew it was no use. They hadn't taken security precautions – they had been too stupid arguing about a stupid story that they had forgotten the most important detail of their entire mission.

Ron had already been caught and was being tied up. Lupin was to Darcy's right, slightly behind and ropes had just wrapped around him. He fell to the ground and the same went for Darcy. The five of them had been caught and as Darcy watched Lupin wriggling around, she had a sudden flashback to her last year at Hogwarts, in the Shrieking Shack, when Snape had forced Lupin on the ground, being cut up by ropes.

"Get that girl," someone growled and Darcy felt herself being pulled up by her hair. She whimpered softly. She held back a yelp as Fenir Greyback licked his lips in her face, smirking. Other Snatchers were pulling the other four up. Darcy kept eye contact with Fenir, trying hard not to look away. Fenir looked her up and down, finally spotting her wand poking out of her pocket. He grabbed it with his claws and twirled it around for a few seconds before pocketing it.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Lupin shouted and the Snatcher punched him hard. He cried out in unbelievable pain. Darcy cringed and bit her lip.

"Please, don't hurt him!" she screamed, looking away from Fenir and towards Lupin. She knew that screaming and begging was no use, but there was no way to help him. Blood was spilling from his mouth and his eyes were half closed. Fenir pulled her hair violently and she breathed in sharply, tears building up in her eyes as the Snatcher put a wand to Lupin's temple. Lupin stopped struggling and stared at Darcy with wide eyes.

"We've got plans for you, Potter," hissed Fenir and Darcy winced as he spit in her face. "_Big_ plans."

Darcy glanced to her brother. One Snatchers was gently touching his scar, his face excited like.

Fenir dragged Darcy towards Lupin and chained them together. Ron, Hermione, and Harry were chained together and then brought over to Darcy and Lupin. The five were then chained again, magically, of course. No one could move and everyone was thinking the same thing – they were ready for death. Darcy blinked back tears after seeing that Hermione was on the verge of crying and she heard Harry swallow as the Snatchers consulted with each other, wondering what to do.

"I'm so sorry," whispered Harry. "This is all my fault – I said the name – I wasn't thinking."

"Damn right this is your fault!" hissed Darcy a bit too loudly.

"Darcy, be quiet," Lupin breathed, but Snatchers were already walking towards her.

One of them got on his knees before Darcy and looked her straight in the eyes. "Whatcha talkin' 'bout over 'ere?" he grinned. She shook her head and sat up straighter, breathing in proudly. "Well then –" He placed a grimy hand on top of her head and aimed a kick directly at her temple, causing Lupin to shout and her to pass out instantly.

* * *

><p>Darcy awoke by being slapped hard in the face. Her head was pounding and blood was dripping down her cheek again. With a single claw, Fenir sliced a cut in Darcy's cheek and she internally screamed, tears building up in her eyes once more.<p>

The five of them were being magically dragged down a long cobblestone road – a walkway, perhaps. They approached large iron gates and were greeted by a woman with mad hair and a mad face on the other side of the gates. She scoffed at the Snatchers and looked behind them to the people in chains. Through half opened eyes, Darcy looked up and saw Bellatrix Lestrange's eyes flicking from her to Harry with a malicious grin on her face.

Bellatrix opened the gates gently touched Darcy's face, slapping it softly and cackling. "Miss Darcy Potter," she jeered, putting her hands on her slim hips. "It's so awfully nice to see you again. And – _oh_, this is _wonderful_." Her eyes had landed on Lupin, whose eyes were red and lip was split. His teeth were stained red with blood. "Remus Lupin. How's my dreadful niece? I see you've left her for the Potter girl again."

Lupin didn't answer. He simply stared at Bellatrix with fire in his eyes.

"Hmph," shrugged Bellatrix, looking at the Snatchers again. "Follow me. We must show off our new prizes immediately."

The five were brought through the gates and down the same walkway for just a bit more until reaching the front doors. They opened wide, almost like the Great Hall doors at Hogwarts. The inside of the manor was dull, dark, and empty. Hardly any portraits were on the walls and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling. The five were unchained from each other and were instructed to stand, but were still wandless and watched carefully by all the Snatchers. There was no escape. Darcy wasn't prepared to Disapparate without her friends. Especially her brother.

When they reached the emptiest room Darcy had seen, she noticed three white blonde people standing together. Lucius Malfoy, raggedy as ever, was no longer the once attractive man he had been. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was a greasy and dirty mess. His hands shook when he moved and the malice in his eyes was gone. His skin was whiter than ever and he looked sickly.

Narcissa Malfoy held her son close to her protectively, her chin high in the air. She wasn't as horrible looking as her husband, but seemed to be the strongest of the three. Her striped hair reminded Darcy of a skunk, but she refrained from voicing this opinion out loud, knowing she would just end up dead in a heartbeat.

Draco Malfoy looked absolutely terrified. His pointy chin was towards the ground and he refused to make eye contact with anyone and if he did by accident, he'd look away quickly as if it never happened. Dressed in a nice, black suit, he looked more like his father than he ever did before.

"The werewolf," said Lucius finally, quite sure of himself, pointing at Lupin with his middle finger. "Lupin – the werewolf. A member of the Order of the Phoenix. I suggest we kill him on the spot."

Bellatrix blew air from her lips and laughed her high pitched laugh, circling Lupin carefully, looking him up and down. "Not right away," she said evilly, raising her eyebrows. Darcy looked at Lupin with a horrified expression and Lupin swallowed the blood in his mouth. "But I have plans to torture him to no end, whether he speaks or not. You must remember, brother, he's in love with this lovely young woman here." She stepped up in front of Darcy and grabbed her face with her long fingers. Her voice lowered to a hushed whisper, which scared Darcy even more than her screaming. "But have no fear, Potter – I won't kill you. The Dark Lord will. He'll kill you and your brother off first."

"Take the prisoners down to the cellar," Narcissa Malfoy demanded loudly.

Bellatrix wasn't paying attention. She was busy staring at something one of the Snatchers was holding. Letting go of Darcy's face, she pointed her wand at the Snatcher. Darcy turned slowly, seeing the Sword of Gryffindor gleaming in the hand of Fenir. "What is that?" asked Bellatrix hesitantly, frowning.

The Snatcher shrugged. "I found it."

"It's mine!" Bellatrix screeched. She seemed almost – afraid? "_Stupefy_!" The werewolf fell to the floor, dropping the sword. It clanged against the ground once and Bellatrix rushed forward, grabbing it tightly in her hand. She hovered over Fenir and snarled at him, "Snape sent this to my vault at Gringotts – how did you get it?"

"It was in her bag!" Fenir growled in her face, pointing to Hermione.

Bellatrix stood straight up and walked up to Hermione, pointing the sword at her. Hermione bit down hard on her lip and Darcy shouted out. "Don't!" she called. "It isn't her's! It's mine!"

"Darcy, what are you doing –" Lupin could hardly talk with all the blood in his mouth and a Snatcher hit him on the back of his head. Lupin grunted and shut up.

"Take them down to the cellar," Bellatrix snapped. "But leave these two. The Mudblood and the Potter girl."

"Don't kill her!" Lucius cried. "The Dark Lord will be _furious_!"

"I won't kill her!" said Bellatrix, turning to face her brother-in-law. "Do you think me an idiot?"

"N – no."

"Then do as I say." Bellatrix grabbed both Hermione's hair and Darcy's and pulled them away from their friends. Snatchers grabbed the boys and attempted to drag them away, down the stairs and to the cellar.

"No!" Ron and Lupin were shouting at the same time, reaching for both girls. Ron was the one to continue, as he was the one able to speak. "Not them! Please – don't hurt them! Take me instead!"

Bellatrix ignored both of them completely and threw Darcy on the ground. Darcy laid completely still, paralyzed with fear, unable to move. Bellatrix moved a few feet away and pushed Hermione down, pulling out a knife and climbing over her. Darcy couldn't watch.

"How did you get into my vault at Gringotts?" Bellatrix screamed in Hermione's face. Darcy opened her eyes just in time to see Hermione begin to sob. She hiccupped and screamed, shaking her head. "How did you get that sword?"

Hermione was crying so hard that she couldn't answer. Happily. Bellatrix touched the knife to Hermione's forearm and cut into her flesh, something that Darcy could not see. The eldest Potter sibling closed her eyes again, feeling the need to vomit. She hoped that Hermione's torture session didn't last much longer, because she couldn't stomach Hermione's desperate screams and sobs. It drove Darcy over the edge to see Hermione in such pain. She had never heard the younger girl scream and cry so much before and it killed Darcy inside.

"Where did you get it?!" hissed Bellatrix.

"We found it – _please_!" cried Hermione as Bellatrix cut into her arm again. Tears rushed from Darcy's eyes and Hermione wailed, "Please!"

"YOU'RE LYING! YOU'VE ROBBED MY GRINGOTTS VAULT, HAVEN'T YOU?" bellowed Bellatrix. She completed carving whatever it was into Hermione's arm and growled – she obviously thought Hermione useless. Bellatrix pointed her wand directly at Hermione's stomach and screamed as Hermione thrashed about in pain.

Darcy tried to stand, but Lucius noticed and brought his cane down upon her back. She fell to the floor and coughed after the cane knocked the wind out of her. Darcy attempted to get up again, but Lucius caught her. His hand tangled in her hair, Darcy laid limply on the cold, hard ground, crying softly to herself. Lucius pulled her hair harshly, trying to get her to sit up straight.

Darcy let out a yelp of pain, but Bellatrix turned to her and flicked her wand. A searing pain spread throughout Darcy's body, making her cry out. Her screams were just as painful for Hermione to listen to and even Lucius (although he wouldn't let it show on his face) was slightly horrified. Hermione began to cry even harder, a few feet away from Darcy, half conscious and pale as snow. Down below in the dungeon, the three boys noticed Darcy was now being tortured and began to panic. Bellatrix had either killed Hermione, or done something horrible that she had to move on to her next victim.

"That's what you get," Bellatrix snapped, getting down on her knees and eye level with Darcy. "You _filthy_ half blood. That's what you get for being a _Potter_! For being a _blood traitor_! For being in love with a dirty _werewolf_! You're no better than the Mudblood, you piece of filth!" She spat in Darcy's face and Darcy closed her eyes, trying to stop herself from sobbing. However, it was not working. Darcy wished for the first time that she was not a Potter. She wished that she had never been a witch or never thrown in this position. She never asked to be in this position, anyway. "_Shut up_!" Bellatrix held her knife up to Darcy's throat and then looked at the Malfoys'.

Draco was still standing by his mother. They looked awfully conflicted, not quite sure what to do or even think about the whole situation. Lucius still held on tightly to Darcy's red hair, not uttering a single word. She could feel his hand trembling.

"What should we do with them?" Bellatrix grinned evilly, looking from the girls to the Malfoys'. "Kill the Potter girl -? Ah, but the Dark Lord will most likely want her alive with her brother…" Bellatrix pressed her knife harder to Darcy's skin, beginning to draw blood. Darcy whimpered as big, fat tears fell down her cheeks. "Isn't that right, girl? The Dark Lord has so much in mind for you."

Darcy was now crying harder than ever. There was absolutely no way she could stay strong anymore. She had reached her breaking point and was wishing death upon herself. Bellatrix grabbed her hair from Lucius's hand and threw her face down upon the stone floor. Darcy grunted and sniffed. Draco's shoe was inches from her head. She tried looking up at him, but at first, he wouldn't meet her eyes. He finally looked at her, disgusted and a bit afraid. Bellatrix sat on Darcy's back and held her pinned her head to the ground.

Bellatrix put her lips to Darcy's ear. "Draco has told me the werewolf has actually hurt you and given you _scars_," cackled Bellatrix. "Let's see them! Where are they?"

Darcy said nothing, just cried.

"Won't tell, will you? Draco –"

"I don't know where they are," Draco responded immediately. "It may not even be true – I – it was just a rumor."

"Stupid girl!" Bellatrix shouted, seeing right through Draco's lie. "Tell me where they are or I will torture you until you decide to tell me!" Bellatrix dug her wand into Darcy's bad and screamed, "_Crucio_!" With Bellatrix laughing, Darcy let out a bloodcurdling scream. Lupin cried out Darcy's name and it echoed throughout the manor. Bellatrix heard his pleas and shook her head in disbelief, smiling a smile that revealed all her decaying teeth. Hermione cried harder, chills running up and down her spine.

"My right – my right shoulder!" Darcy said. "Please! _Please_! Stop it!"

Bellatrix did stop and Darcy's body went completely limp. The older witch took our her small knife again and slashed away at Darcy's shirt, revealing the three long scars on her shoulder. They were so pale, almost invisible now. "Ha! They're fading!" frowned Bellatrix. "We can't have that now, can we?"

And with her knife, Bellatrix cut along the first fading scar and Darcy screamed louder and screamed more than she ever had in her entire life. The pain was absolutely unbearable; she wished that she had been unconscious. "_STOP_!" bawled Darcy. Hermione closed her eyes and shivered. Even the Malfoys' looked a bit disturbed at Bellatrix's violence.

Dark red blood oozed from Darcy's shoulder and down below in the basement, Lupin was screaming and crying, pulling at his hair and calling out Darcy's name frantically. He knew exactly what Bellatrix was doing to Darcy's scars and it made him physically ill. Harry was watching his ex-professor going absolutely mad and ripping out his hair. He looked more wolf-like than ever before. By the screams and sounds he was making, he very well could have been in the middle of a transformation. But up above, Bellatrix laughed in delight, cutting the second scar and watching Darcy's face turn purple from screaming.

"I find it just _unbelievable_ that someone who _loves_ you would do this to you!" Bellatrix grinned with pleasure, reaching the third and last scar on Darcy's shoulder. "How could _anyone_ love something so _dangerous_?"

When Bellatrix had finished re-scarring Darcy, she admired her work, and dragged her back over to Hermione by the hair. With one last kick to the ribcage, which broke a rib or two, Bellatrix walked away from the girls and went to talk with the Malfoys' quietly. They sounded like they were arguing, but Darcy wasn't paying attention at all.

Hermione inched over to Darcy carefully, who was completely frozen and unable to move any part of her body. She was staring up at the ceiling, her eyes wide with tears still falling rapidly. There was a trail of blood on the floor from where Darcy had been dragged and Darcy's face was turning whiter by the second. Hermione grabbed Darcy's hand and squeezed it as hard as she could. The word 'mudblood' was carved into Hermione's forearm, but not bleeding as badly as Darcy's shoulder. Darcy swallowed with great difficultly and angled her head so she was looking at Hermione. Tears were pouring from both of their eyes and Darcy nodded slightly, her head in a pool of her own blood. Darcy's red hair was matted with the blood still spilling from her fresh cuts.

"Everything's going to be okay."

The words were not audible from Darcy's mouth, but Hermione read her lips well. Although, in that very moment in time, lying on the floor of the Malfoy Manor, after being tortured almost to death, both girls had a hard time believing everything was going to be okay. Hermione squeezed Darcy's hand as tight as she could again, but Darcy could not squeeze back.

Suddenly, Darcy was yanked away yet again and Hermione held back a scream.

"We're going to summon the Dark Lord," Bellatrix hissed in Darcy's face and she flinched. "And when he gets here, _you_ will be the first to go." She tugged hard at Darcy's sopping hair. "And the half-breed will watch."


	21. Shell Cottage

**Shell Cottage.**

"Shall I call him now?" inquired Lucius Malfoy, rolling his sleeve up. Bellatrix dropped Darcy and shook her head slowly, the glimmer of the Sword of Gryffindor visible in the Potter's peripheral vision.

"No," whispered Bellatrix strangely and she got down on her knees before Darcy. "You piece of filth – you've been in my Gringotts vault, haven't you?"

Darcy very slowly shook her head.

"What else have you taken?" Bellatrix snapped and Darcy began to cry again, shaking her head furiously.

"Nothing, I swear," gasped Darcy. "It's a fake."

"A _fake_?" snorted Bellatrix. "A likely story –"

"I – I have an idea," Lucius cut in and Bellatrix jumped to her feet, holding up her wand in one hand and her knife in the other. She looked eager to hurt someone, but Lucius held his long, thin hand up and Bellatrix frowned. "Th – the goblin. He'll know if the sword is fake or not."

Bellatrix sent Draco Malfoy to fetch the goblin and Darcy looked around carefully, not sure where all the prisoners were coming from. But sure enough, Draco returned with a small goblin, who looked extremely familiar. Darcy's eyes widened at the thought – he was the one who had shown both her and Harry to their Gringotts vault their first years.

Darcy watched from the corner of her eye as Bellatrix scooped up the sword and got down in the goblin's face and sneered, holding her knife up, which was already covered in blood. The goblin – Griphook- seemed very brave and did not flinch, even when Bellatrix sliced a cut in his cheek.

"Is this the true sword?" she hissed, shoving the glimmering sword in his face.

"No," Griphook replied calmly and Bellatrix's eyes widened. "It is a fake."

Darcy held her breath and felt her heart pounding inside of her. Why was he lying? Darcy _knew_ it was the real sword – it destroyed a Horcrux! "Are you sure?" Bellatrix seemed almost desperate. "Quite sure?"

"Yes," nodded Griphook again.

"Good," she sighed, standing up and slicing another, deeper cut into Griphook's face. He didn't keep his calm expression – instead, he cried out and dropped to Bellatrix's feet, holding his face in his hands. "And now we call the Dark Lord! And – we can dispose of the Mudblood."

Darcy had never moved so quickly before in her life. She pushed herself towards Hermione and held the younger witch tightly, expecting someone to attack them both, but all she heard was someone scream, "NOOOOOO!" Darcy raised an eyebrow and looked up to see Ron running into the big, empty room, followed by Harry and Lupin. "_Expelliarmus_!" He had pointed someone's wand at Bellatrix and her wand went flying into the air. Harry caught it gracefully.

"_Stupefy_!" cried Harry, flicking his wrist towards Lucius Malfoy. The older man was hurled back into a mantelpiece, collapsing.

There was a hand that pulled at Darcy's hair and she whimpered, being pulled away from Hermione. Bellatrix had grabbed Hermione and knocked her in the head, causing her to lose consciousness. With a knife to Hermione's throat, Darcy fell to the ground again in pain, crying. "Hermione!" she sobbed.

"Drop your wands!" Bellatrix shouted and the three men did what she said immediately. "Or we'll see just how filthy her blood really is."

Lupin's eyes found Darcy on the ground, blood spilled all around her. She was looking up at Hermione, her hand covering her shoulder, bloodstained. Lupin felt sick to his stomach and all the blood drained from his face. He felt anger surge through him – Bellatrix had humiliated Darcy by cutting open those scars. By convincing her that Lupin wasn't a good man. By convincing her he was dangerous.

"Draco, pick their wands up," she instructed her nephew and Draco stepped forward slowly, scanning the room and meeting everyone's eyes. He went to collect everyone's wands, but stopped and stood up after they all heard a squeaking noise. Darcy looked around and then hesitantly, up at the ceiling. Everyone froze, making sure they weren't just hearing things. She looked up just in time to see the beautiful and huge chandelier shake and then begin to fall from the ceiling and aiming to land on Bellatrix.

Bellatrix dropped Hermione and dove aside. Darcy's legs worked automatically and she suddenly regained super-human like strength just long enough to grab Hermione's hand and pull her out of the way before the chandelier dropped. She collapsed on the ground again and felt out of breath, unable to move for a few moments. Draco had dropped all the wands, covering his bloody face and crying out.

Ron ran over to Hermione and Darcy and Darcy handed her off to him. "Are you alright?" Ron asked quickly, looking at Darcy's shoulder and then feeling the urge to throw up on the spot. His knees weakened, but he looked directly into Darcy's eyes, not at her shoulder.

"I'll be fine – take her!" Darcy shouted with a green, sickly colored face.

"Come on," Ron said, holding Hermione, but offering Darcy his hand. She took it gratefully and stood up, her knees wobbly and shaky. "We aren't leaving you here to die."

Darcy, holding Ron's hand, ran as fast as she could (which wasn't fast at all) over to Lupin. She fell into his arms and he held her tightly as she closed her eyes for what seemed like forever and then opened them slowly. Her blood was staining his clothing, but he didn't seem to mind or notice. When she opened her eyes again, a new surprise hit her hard.

"Dobby?" she breathed.

The elf was standing in the middle of the group of friends. Harry was already holding tightly to his hand, waiting to leave the Manor.

Dobby had snapped his fingers and Narcissa's wand flew out of her hand and into Lupin's. He pocketed it, most likely saving it for Darcy since she was wandless. Griphook was also with the group, still holding the Sword of Gryffindor and Darcy's breathing was getting slower and slower with each second.

Everything seemed like it was underwater. Darcy couldn't hear anyone speaking to her and she couldn't understand what anyone was saying. She felt Lupin take her hand and she touched Dobby's arm as they all spun and began to Disapparate. Darcy had no idea where they were going, but she felt Lupin's grip around her body tighten. It felt horrible – it was like he was squeezing all the blood out of her shoulder. It hurt so badly…

Darcy's body hit land. It felt like sand and when she opened her eyes, she was staring straight up at the dark blue sky, littered with stars. She could hear ocean waves crashing against rocks and she was so close to just closing her eyes and escaping this horrible pain forever. She closed her eyes, noticing that Lupin's warm arms were not around her, keeping her safe…

"Darcy – Darcy, open your eyes –" Someone was slapping at her face and she moaned. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Lupin, but shook her head, unable to keep focused. She could hardly see him anyway through the darkness. "Please, keep your eyes open – don't leave me –"

"I'm here," she whispered painfully. "Remus… I –"

"You're going to be okay… Look at me, Darcy… Look at me."

Darcy shook her head and then ceased moving. He touched her chest – she was definitely still breathing and still alive. Her heart beat was slow and he groaned, too frustrated to think. Lupin sighed in relief and looked around. It was almost a relief to be back at Shell Cottage, but then again, he would rather have been at his own home or at the Burrow, where it was homey and comfortable. Where it was safe. He touched her cold hands and sighed, lightly touching the skin around her bleeding shoulder.

He knew that he couldn't waste his time thinking or just looking at her, so he lifted Darcy into his arms. He thought that she was going to be heavier, but remembering that she had basically been starving for a few months, she was lighter than what was healthy. He carried her a few feet towards the cottage until running into Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dobby.

"Darcy?" Hermione squeaked, but Darcy could not and did not respond. She hung limp in Lupin's arms, pale as a ghost. Lupin looked at Hermione, making sure she was not too injured. Ron seemed to be taking good care of her at the moment.

"She fainted," Lupin explained. Seeing a bloody mass in his peripheral vision, he had to do a double take. Dobby was lying in Harry's arms, staring right up at him with his tennis ball eyes. "What…? Harry –"

Harry help up a small, blood stained knife and then dropped it in the sand. He was kneeling, hovered over Dobby's body and visibly crying.

"Get her inside," sniffed Harry, wiping his eyes. Lupin stuttered, unsure of how to handle Dobby's death. "Do it!" Harry raised his voice considerably and it echoed throughout Lupin's ears.

* * *

><p>Lupin watched Darcy sleep, waiting for her to wake up. Fleur had taken such good care of her and was so calm; there was no way Lupin could have treated Darcy's wounds in the state he was in.<p>

His eyes did not leave the bloodstained bandages. This was his entire fault. He was convinced of it. How badly he wanted to erase her memory. He wanted to erase himself from her mind. It would make everything so much easier on her; because he was a werewolf and everyone knew they were together at one point or another, Voldemort's army was going to be rougher on her.

However, he wasn't sure if he could do the proper spell. He knew how to erase a complete memory, but he didn't know if he could erase one person from several memories. Was that even possible?

Lupin shook his head. How could he think that? He loved Darcy, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Why would he think about erasing himself from Darcy's memory? He'd have to live his life knowing that she wouldn't remember him. That was more painful than anything. But then again, he could erase her from his mind, too, right?

There was a soft moan and Darcy breathed out lightly. Her eyes fluttered open and she was staring up at a ceiling.

She was in a bed, but she had no idea whose bed it was and all she could hear the damn ocean. Where was she? Not the Weasleys'. She wasn't at the Malfoy Manor. If she was there, she'd be in a cell. She wouldn't even be alive. She wasn't anywhere bad… right? Maybe she was dead. Yes, she was dead and now she was in Heaven. Darcy tried to move. No, no, no. Cringing, she sighed. She still felt pain – she couldn't be in Heaven.

Darcy touched her right shoulder and noticed that it was bandaged up excellently and she wasn't fighting so hard to stay awake anymore. Throwing the blankets off of her painfully, hands touched her arm and attempted to lay her back down. Darcy gasped and reached out to punch whoever was touching her, but a simple voice calmed her down instantly.

"Darcy, it's me," said Lupin's voice. She squinted her eyes to the side of the bed and could only make out his shadow. He flicked his wrist and a flame appeared at the end of his wand. He lit a candle and it gave a lot of light to the room. "It's late. Are you alright?"

"Where is everyone? Where are we? Are we safe?" she asked, quite panicked. Darcy laid back down and Lupin did not chuckle at her confusion. Instead, he was very serious and stared at her with dull eyes. "What happened?"

"This is Shell Cottage," Lupin explained. "Bill and Fleur live here. I came here when I left to look for you and Ron was here, too. When he left you guys, he came here. As of right now, everyone is asleep. Along with you four and me, Dean, Luna, and Griphook are here. It's nearly four in the morning."

"Hermione -?"

"Hermione is fine. She regained consciousness a little while ago," Lupin assured her. "Here, drink some hot cocoa. I know you like it. You're probably sick of watered down tea, hm?" Waving his wand again, he heated up a mug of hot cocoa and handed it to Darcy. She drank it slowly and looked about the room. When she finished, she handed it back to Lupin and he put it on the bedside table.

"What about Dobby? Is he still here? He saved us," breathed Darcy, losing her breath quickly. She was trying so very hard to remember what happened before she fainted, but it was so much to remember. "He – we Disapparated – right? From… Malfoy…"

Lupin opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. "Dobby didn't make it, Darcy," he cleared his throat. "Bellatrix's knife Disapparated with us and – and it – it got him right here." Lupin put his hand on his stomach and Darcy felt tears well up in her eyes. "He died a very brave death, Darcy."

Darcy pursed her lips in disbelief, but she knew that Lupin would not joke about something like that. "I – I never got to thank him. Oh, that's… horrible…"

"He knew you were grateful." Lupin paused and put his hand on Darcy's, attempting to reassure her. "There was nothing you could do about it."

"How's Harry?"

"He's fine," Lupin smiled sweetly. She really cared about her brother and he admired that loving quality in her. "He's okay."

Darcy looked away and licked her lips. She sniffled and blinked back tears, sighing in relief. So Harry was fine and not too beat up. She was glad she took most of the pain because seeing Harry in the state she was in would have killed her. "Thank you," she sighed, looking to Lupin again. "For saving me."

"I didn't do much," Lupin blushed, pulling his hand away from Darcy's. "I – I was impressed. Harry and Ron were so very brave and I… well, I wasn't. I was too – afraid – seeing you the way you were… I was too afraid."

"I thought you were brave."

Lupin sighed heavily and stood up. Darcy whimpered his name, not wanting him to leave her, and he froze. Lupin shook his head and sat down on the bed. Darcy moved over slightly, making room for him to stay seated and he thought hard. "When I saw your shoulder – I – I didn't know what to do. I was so scared for you. And you fainted… I thought you were going to die."

"I didn't want you to see," whispered Darcy, reaching up and touching his face. "I wish you didn't have to see."

Lupin was quiet and he touched the hand caressing his face. His hand was warm and it made her feel a thousand times better.

"Lie down with me, won't you?"

Lupin paused, unsure of what to do, but Darcy moved over more and Lupin took his shoes off, climbing under the blankets and lying down beside her. They did not touch, but were very close together. "Darcy," Lupin said under his breath. He enjoyed saying her name, just as she enjoyed hearing it. He heard her sniff and he touched her cheek, wiping her tears away. She laughed weakly at herself and pushed her red hair out of her face. "Darcy, why are you crying?"

It was a valid question. There were so many things going on at once – so many problems and worries and he wanted to know why Darcy was crying. What was she worrying about? Darcy looked up at Lupin and their noses touched. His hot breath tickled her lips. "I'm just so happy," she breathed. "I'm so happy you're here. I didn't think I was ever going to see you again. I'm so happy."

The candle burning on the bedside table lit up half of Darcy's face and kept the other half in the shadows. He counted the freckles on the one side of her face. "I'm so glad I found you," he whispered. "I was – so worried – about you." He was getting choked up. He was embarrassing himself. He was supposed to be the strong one!

"I was scared that if the world knew about us, the Death Eaters would track you down and try to get information from you. I was scared they were going to target you first and maybe… possibly… hurt you in some way," Darcy continued. "That's why I left you. Dumbledore told us not to tell anyone. It was just supposed to be us four. I didn't want to leave you. Honest."

"I know, Darcy." Lupin began to stroke her hair, tucking it behind her ear and Darcy closed her eyes, so happy to have Lupin near her yet again.

"I was so mean to you," cried Darcy, not wanting to wake anyone else. "So cruel to you for nothing and keeping you in the dark. I was angry at myself for not being with you and for some reason, I took all my anger out on you because you were the only one there willing to listen."

He continued to stroke her hair, shushing her and rubbing his nose slightly against her's.

"I'm leading these kids to their death." Her voice shook. "I don't know what I'm doing, but I pretend. I want them to think I know what we're doing so they think we stand a chance. But I know that we don't. We're only four kids and You-Know-Who has an entire army. I try to act strong around them all, but at night, I cry myself to sleep because I know that I'll be the responsible if – _when_ – they die."

Lupin listened to her carefully, fully aware of what she was saying. She had told him something similar before over a chess match. He had never really understood how scared she was; Darcy always seemed so brave and she always put up a strong façade. Of course, she was strong, but she was only a child. She could only be so strong. He also knew that she had absolutely no one to talk to. How could she say these things to Harry or Ron or Hermione? She couldn't. There was no way.

"I'm not as strong as everyone makes me out to be. Dumbledore seemed to think me some – some – powerful, intelligent witch, but that's not me," she said. "It's an act. All an act. I'm weak and clueless. I'm not as strong as I was when you first met me. I've softened up."

"No one is ever as strong as they pretend to be."

Darcy bit her lip. "Do you still like me? After all I've done to you and everyone else?"

Lupin nodded and smiled. "I still like you."


	22. Griphook

****thank you so much for sticking with me during this series, guys! i really appreciate the reviews and feedback i've been getting. i've been working really, really hard on this story and it makes me so happy that many people think it's the best one out of the four. i agree completely - this is definitely my favorite part of the series. i'm trying to write these next few chapters so it's not exactly like the book because i know everyone reading fanfiction knows the story front to back, so i don't really need to go over the conversations between griphook and ollivander in such detail. i just kind of did the essentials. i hope you guys enjoy it, though! xx

* * *

><p><strong>GRIPHOOK.<strong>

Darcy awoke the next morning feeling much better than she did the night before. Lupin wasn't in bed beside her; the sheets were pulled up and the side he was laying on was all made up. The ocean outside the window was crashing against the sand and for the first time in months, Darcy felt relaxed and safe for the time being. She sighed loudly and closed her eyes, wanting to sleep for ten more days.

She had no clue what time it was, but she thought she would get up and see who was awake and make sure everyone knew she was fine. Although Darcy couldn't quite move her shoulder and it hurt her ribcage slightly whenever she walked, she could stand up straight and she was no longer fighting the urge to close her eyes and pass out.

The hallway in which Darcy entered was a long rectangle with doors on her left and right. Her bedroom was at the end of the hallway and across from her at the opposite end was a staircase going down. She saw that most doors were open, so she went downstairs and held onto the railing tightly so she wouldn't fall and break anymore bones.

Reaching the bottom of the wooden stairs, Darcy heard voices and they immediately went silent as she came into view. Her eyes widened. Not only were her friends there plus Lupin, but Dean Thomas and Luna Lovegood were snacking on a strudel Fleur had just placed in front of them. Darcy tilted her head and Lupin stood up, nearly knocking over his chair. They stared at each other for a second and Fleur smiled at her.

"Hungry?" she asked, hardly pronouncing the 'h' with her thick accent. Fleur held up a plate of strudel bursting with apple filling. Darcy's stomach growled angrily and she smiled back, nodding. "Sit down, Darcy."

Lupin offered Darcy his chair since there were no empty ones and Darcy looked at Hermione, who was smiling at her. Bill got Lupin another chair and the older man sat down next to Darcy, on her left. To her right, Ron was seated, and he poured Darcy a cup of tea. Although she wasn't the biggest fan of tea, after drinking it nonstop for months on end, she had gotten used to the watery texture. "Thank you," she muttered to Ron. "What time is it?" She asked no one in particular.

"Going on nine," Bill answered, patting the top of her head affectionately. "Fleur will change your bandages when you're done eating, Darcy. Isn't she just wonderful? She was very busy fixing you all up last night."

"Thank you, Fleur," said Darcy and everyone followed her lead. Fleur blushed and waved them all off like it was nothing. "Who else is here?"

"Griphook," Harry finally stated, looking at his sister. "And Ollivander. But they haven't come down, yet."

"They're very weak," Fleur reminded the kids, placing toast on the table. Darcy greedily snatched three pieces and began to eat them somewhat lady-like. "They need to rest."

The rest of the meal was silent. No one really wanted to talk about what had happened to them. No one wanted to talk about being tortured and thrown into a cell at the Malfoy Manor. There was really nothing to talk about anymore; Hogwarts wasn't an okay subject and no one had seen their families in such a long time. A pregnant silence hung over the group until Dean finally stood up and put his plate in the sink. Harry was second, and then everyone else stood up together.

Darcy let Fleur change her bandages after breakfast. Once the French woman took her shirt off, Darcy blushed, not wanting Fleur to see the scars, even though she already had. Without flinching, Fleur unwrapped the old bandage and looked at the cuts. They were deep and healing slowly, but surely. The bleeding had finally stopped and lucky for Darcy, Bellatrix hadn't thought to put a spell on her knife so whoever she cut wouldn't stop bleeding.

"Your ribs will be fine in a few hours," Fleur said as she rewrapped Darcy's shoulder. "I gave you Skele-Gro last night, although you were unconscious."

Darcy stared at Fleur, amazed that she had come so far from the Tri-Wizard Tournament. From what she had heard from Harry, Darcy assumed Fleur to be a weak and fragile witch. But watching Fleur handle all the different injuries in her home, she was rather impressed. "Thank you so much," said Darcy and Fleur smiled and nodded at her. Fleur put Darcy's shirt back over her head since Darcy could not lift her shoulder and that was that. Her shoulder would heal up and be absolutely fine.

Darcy found Harry outside, up a small hill. She climbed the sand mountain and was nearly out of breath. There was a gravestone in front of her brother which read, "HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF." Darcy took a moment of silence to thank the elf in her head and then she turned to Harry. He had not acknowledged her, but knew she was standing behind him.

Clearing her throat, Darcy tried to get Harry's attention. "So what's next?" she asked.

"You don't have a plan?" Harry finally said.

Darcy bit down on her lip and shrugged, even though he could not see her behind him. "I don't know what to do anymore," she admitted quietly. "I know that I can't do this by myself. We all need to work together and agree on a plan before going through with it."

Harry finally turned around. "Well, we aren't doing anything until we speak with Ollivander and Griphook."

"Why do we need to talk to them?" Darcy cocked an eyebrow. "To see how they're doing? To see where they're going after they get better?"

"We need to know about the Elder Wand from Ollivander himself," Harry explained and Darcy pursed her lips. "He's a wandmaker, so he'll know if it's real or fake. And he'll know if You-Know-Who is after it or not, right? Because why else would he be in that cell? Do you agree so far?"

"I do."

"And we need to talk to Griphook because," Harry paused, thinking for a moment. "We need to break into a Gringotts vault."

Darcy was speechless. Her brain searched for words to say, but she couldn't think of anything. "I – I – Harry," she stammered. She looked around carefully and lowered her voice, paranoid that someone was listening in on their conversation."Whose vault?"

"Bellatrix," Harry answered without hesitation.

"Why?" Darcy shook her head. "It's impossible, Harry. Gringotts vaults are protected by dragons and creatures and spells and jinxes – there is no way we'll be able to get in there."

"Just hear me out, Darcy," Harry said calmly. It seemed as if he had thought the entire plan through already by himself. "Bellatrix was so afraid back at the Malfoys' that we had broken into her vault and stolen other things. Why was she so afraid? You think there could have been another Horcrux in there?"

Darcy crossed her arms. "I think you're insane."

Harry scoffed. "When don't you?"

She stared at her brother and frowned. Darcy was overcome with such strong emotion that she started tearing up. The fact that her brother was safe and alive made her want to break down and cry. It was a miracle that everyone escaped without fatal injuries. Everyone was being nursed back to health by Fleur and that was incredible to Darcy.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Harry inquired slowly, smiling weakly. "Do – is there something on my face?" He wiped his mouth off and then his cheeks.

Darcy shook her head and laughed to herself. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Harry looked at the ground and kicked some sand with his shoe. "I'm glad you're okay, too. I was really worried about you."

The pair of siblings both paused and awkwardly looked at each other. Darcy stepped up to Harry and wrapped her arms around him, smoothing his jet black hair and kissing the top of his head. Harry rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes, content with everything at that exact moment. He wrapped his arms around his sister and sighed.

Darcy nuzzled her face into his hair and hugged Harry for a long time. It had been too long since she was able to hold her brother like that.

* * *

><p>"I have to admit, you are better than Darcy," Lupin chuckled and Ron grinned, knowing the older man was right. Darcy, although much better than she was the first time she played, was awful at chess. "Don't tell her I said that."<p>

Ron looked up at Lupin, who was staring down at the board, trying to figure out his next move. "You're a thousand times better than Darcy," joked Ron and both men laughed to themselves again. "But don't tell her I said that, either."

"My lips are sealed."

Ron cleared his throat as Lupin's rook took one of Ron's knights. "So," paused Ron and Lupin folded his hands together, raising his eyebrows and meeting Ron's eyes. "Are you going to, er – carry on? Like, are you coming with us wherever we go next?"

"You tell me," Lupin responded.

"What?"

"It's not up to me, is it?" shrugged Lupin. "It's up to you and everyone else. I know that no one expected me to join the group and I wasn't supposed to know about it."

"You're one of us now," Ron explained, nodding. "You're one-fifth of this group and you've got a choice. Stay or go."

Lupin stared at Ron. Since when had this young Weasley grown up? Where was the Gryffindor Lupin remembered? The one who was terrified of spiders and the boggart? The one who was always in Harry's shadow? Who was this new man in front of Lupin? It certainly wasn't the Ron Weasley from Lupin's teaching year.

Ron continued to move his pieces around on the chess board and when he moved his queen, he finally had Lupin beat. Ron began to clear the board and put the pieces back in Hermione's bag. "Regardless of your choice, no one is going to say anything," Ron continued. "If you decide to go, then what? You're risking your life and will probably end up dead. If you don't go, then this may be the last time you ever see Darcy, but you're essentially saving yourself."

Lupin licked his lips. "Did you agree to leave your home for this?" he asked Ron. "Or would you leave this trip in a heartbeat?"

Ron smiled weakly. "If I went home, I wouldn't be saving myself. Without Harry and Hermione and Darcy, I would have no reason to live anymore. Leaving them was a mistake." No one said anything for a moment until Ron looked at Lupin again. "Go home, Remus. You've got a son and Tonks is waiting for you. Don't risk your life trying to save someone who's already doomed."

"Darcy?" Lupin was genuinely shocked to hear that Ron believed Darcy to be doomed. Ron actually believed they were all doomed, but never said anything to anyone about it. His biggest fear was not spiders anymore. That Ron Weasley was long gone. No, his biggest fear was that he was going to be right for once and they would all die and accomplish nothing. "You don't really think… do you?"

"You can't be serious!" Ron said incredulously. "We're all thinking it, Remus. Everyone is."

"I'll stay," murmured Lupin. "I'll go with you guys."

* * *

><p>Hermione sat on the ground. Darcy's legs were draped over her shoulders and she was seated on the bed. Darcy skillfully began to plait Hermione's bushy, layered hair and Hermione was quiet. Feeling sorry for the poor girl, Darcy began to tell stories to keep everything from being awkwardly silent.<p>

"One time," chuckled Darcy. "I tried to teach Remus how to plait hair so he could do mine, right?" Hermione nodded slightly. Darcy smiled. "And he tried to do it himself, but he couldn't. So he took his wand out and pointed it at my hair and set my hair on fire."

Hermione laughed weakly, handing Darcy a hair tie. Darcy put the finishing touches on Hermione's braid, but neither girl moved.

"Look," said Darcy and Hermione turned around. Darcy flipped her head and showed Hermione the underside of her red hair, where a giant chunk was missing. "He didn't know what to do, so he cut it off with another spell."

Sighing, Darcy looked at Hermione and frowned. She was so innocent and so beautiful and did not deserve anything she had ever gone through. Strands of loose hair fell in Hermione's face and Darcy tucked them behind her ears. She always wondered what it would be like to have a sister instead of a brother. While she loved Harry, sometimes she wished he were a girl.

"You look very pretty with your hair like that, Hermione."

"Thank you." Hermione stood up and sat down on the bed. Darcy crossed her legs and smiled at her. "What's that from?" Hermione pointed to a scar on Darcy's wrist.

"That's from a long time ago," said Darcy, remembering exactly what it was from. "When I was with the Dursleys', Marge came to visit and she always brings these nasty bulldogs, right? Well one of them bit me and I hid in a tree the whole evening until she went to bed and brought the dog with her." Hermione rubbed her forearm, not really noticing she was doing it. "Look at this scar." She held out her index finger. "One of Ron's garden gnomes got me there."

"You've got a lot of scars," Hermione told Darcy blandly.

Darcy nodded. "Every single one of them is a story. And when I'm old, I can whip a scar out and tell my grandchildren about the adventures I've had and how I got them." She gently took Hermione's hand and unfolded her arm. 'Mudblood' was scarring on her skin and Darcy bit her lip. "And when you have grandchildren, you can tell them about how you survived the Second Wizarding War and you can tell them how Bellatrix Lestrange tortured you, but you still lied. They'll never believe how brave you were."

Hermione blushed.

"It's a part of you now." Darcy smiled, still holding Darcy's hand. "And whenever you feel weak, you can look down at your arm and remember just how strong you really are."

Hermione did not answer, but at the same time, Darcy knew that Hermione didn't believe what she was saying. There were tears in Hermione's eyes.

"You're stronger than you think," nodded Darcy. "And you are one of the bravest people I've ever known. And I am so proud of you for getting us this far. We would have never made it this far without you, you know that?"

Hermione pulled her hand away and looked down, away from Darcy's eyes.

"Wanna play a game?" asked Darcy and Hermione shrugged. Darcy took Hermione's hand again and traced her index finger lightly over Hermione's scars. Hermione flinched, expecting it to hurt, but instead, Hermione relaxed. "I'm going to draw a line from your wrist and – look away! – tell me when you think I'm at this little crease in your arm, okay? It won't hurt, I promise."

So Darcy started and halfway up her forearm, Hermione said, "Stop!"

"I didn't even make it!" chuckled Darcy. "Try again?"

"Okay, okay." Hermione was smiling now and Darcy started from halfway up. "Stop!"

"Not yet!" Both girls laughed.

* * *

><p>Harry was ready to talk to Ollivander and Griphook later that night. The several people in the house did not eat dinner together. People came down to get food when they were hungry and then retreated to their bedrooms again. No more than two people were together. Everyone needed their space and alone time. Everyone needed to think.<p>

Unable to wait any longer, Harry stood up from the kitchen table, where he ate alone, and walked up the creaky stairs and looked into the first room on the right. Hermione was in there, along with Darcy. Darcy was smiling and tracing her fingers along Hermione's forearm and Hermione was giggling with tears in her eyes. He watched them for a moment.

"I told you it wouldn't hurt," grinned Darcy quietly and Hermione nodded. "It feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, wiping her eyes.

Harry stepped behind the doorway so the girls could not see him. He leaned his head against the frame and closed his eyes, absent-mindedly rubbing his scar. He could not deny that Darcy was trying the best she could. His sister was taking care of every single one of them, including Lupin, even though she was in horrible condition herself. The way she could make Hermione's dull eyes light up was incredible – he couldn't even do that and Hermione was one of his best friends.

"Harry?" Darcy's voice snapped him out of his trance. "Are you hiding back there?"

Apparently he wasn't hiding himself well enough. The girls chuckled and Harry stepped into full view. "We need to talk to Griphook," he told them both. Darcy raised her eyebrows, thankful that Harry chose Horcruxes over Hallows, and Hermione's smile faded slowly as she didn't understand. "Where's Ron?"

"He's playing chess with Remus," Darcy answered, standing up off the bed. She took Hermione's hand and helped her up. Hermione was still weak and in shock from being tortured and she would rub the cuts on her forearm without noticing. Darcy noticed every time. "In my room."

As Harry went to retrieve the two others, Hermione looked to Darcy. Darcy shrugged, although knew why Harry needed to speak with Griphook. She wasn't sure how they were going to break into Gringotts because she highly doubted Griphook would help them.

Darcy led Hermione to her bedroom, where Harry was finishing talking to Ron and Lupin. Everyone was quiet and looked at each other, and then Harry pushed gently past the girls and knocked on Griphook's door. There was a slight grunt and Harry pushed the door open. The five of them maneuvered into Griphook's small room and Harry stepped forward, willing to be the one to talk. Darcy admired her brother and remained silent, looking over at Hermione, who moved next to her.

"How are you?" Harry asked, looking the goblin directly in the eyes. "Your legs?"

"Painful. But mending."

The sword of Gryffindor in Griphook's hands caught Darcy's eye. Is that what Harry wanted? That's definitely what _she_ wanted. Without the sword, there was no way to destroy a Horcrux and Griphook did not look like he was about to give it up so easily. But if she knew goblins as well as she thought she did, she knew that goblins believed that goblin-made items belonged to them. There was no easy way to get that sword back.

"You rescued me, Harry Potter," muttered Griphook. "You and your friends. And you brought me here."

Harry nodded slowly and Darcy breathed in as Harry got closer to Griphook and stood up straighter. "I – we need your help, Griphook," said Harry. To Darcy, someone who had known him so long, he seemed frustrated, but eager at the same time. "We need to break into a Gringotts vault."

Darcy closed her eyes and let out a quiet breath. So Harry wasn't lying when he told her that. Hermione grabbed onto Darcy's arm in shock and Darcy looked over at Lupin. Ron's mouth was hanging open slightly and Lupin was running a hand through his hair. She had no idea what he was thinking – he was going along with a 17-year-old's plan. And no one knew the full plan but Harry! Did Harry even know the full plan? Had he thought everything out by himself? Or was he just playing it by ear?

Griphook let out a bland 'ha!' "It is impossible."

"No, it's not," replied Harry quietly. "The first day I ever went to Gringotts, a vault was robbed."

"The vault had already been emptied," Griphook snapped and Harry cleared his throat. Darcy knew that the vault had been robbed, but said nothing. The vault that held the Stone.

"Well, the vault we need to get to is not empty. And there will probably be lots of protection."

Griphook stared at Harry, waiting to hear whose vault it was.

"It's the Lestrange's."

The goblin was quiet for a few short seconds and everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Every single person in the room was in shock. "What is it you seek inside their vault, Harry Potter?" asked Griphook and Harry swallowed loudly. "The sword that lies inside is a fake. This is the real one, but I believe you already know that."

"But the fake sword – there's more in there, isn't there?" asked Harry.

Darcy was thinking hard. Bellatrix was Voldemort's right hand man – woman. It would make sense that Voldemort would entrust a Horcrux to Bellatrix, right? But would Bellatrix understand that it was a Horcrux or would Voldemort just tell her it was very important to keep it safe and away from people?

"I cannot say," replied Griphook and Harry's shoulders slumped. Darcy bit her lip.

"You're our only hope, Griphook," Harry pleaded. "There's no chance of us getting into Gringotts without a goblin."

"I shall think about it."

And that was that. Harry took that as his answer and motioned for everyone to leave. After closing Griphook's door, they all met in Darcy's bedroom and no one spoke. There was one question on everyone's mind, but no one would say it. Finally, Darcy said it. "How do you expect to break into Gringotts, Harry? There's five of us and I don't think we could just strut inside!"

"I don't know," Harry said quickly, rubbing his temples. "We need to figure out if we can get Griphook to help us first. Then we'll figure out what the plan is."

"Harry, no offense, but I think this is a little crazy," Lupin interrupted. "Darcy's right. We have no way of getting us all into Gringotts."

"We'll figure something out soon, okay?" Harry said, thinking very hard. "But this is what we _need_ to do. We need to get into Bellatrix's vault! I know there's got to be a Horcrux in there somewhere!"

"Shh!" Ron hushed his best friend and Harry nodded.

Darcy didn't say anything. She knew the plan was ridiculous, but she also believed Harry to be right. She thought there would be a Horcrux in there, too, but Bellatrix wouldn't know it was Horcrux. "How would we destroy it?" Hermione asked and Darcy nodded, wondering the same thing. "We need the sword."

"Griphook isn't going to give us that sword back," Ron added. "And we can't tell him why we need it."

"Can't we just borrow it?" Harry thought outloud.

"Goblin-made things belong to goblins," Darcy explained. "That's a goblin's logic. We'll have to make a deal or something with Griphook."

Lupin was impressed that Darcy knew that. "We have to get the Horcrux first or else we won't even need the sword."

"He's right," Ron nodded towards Lupin. "Figure out how to get the Horcrux first. That's our first priority. And then after that, we figure out how to get the sword."

"We have to get the sword and the Horcrux at the same time," Hermione said quickly. "Because Griphook will have the sword and he probably isn't going to stick around long after we get to Gringotts. The sword is our only chance right now to destroy Horcruxes."

"First of all, we need to make sure Griphook will help us get into Gringotts," Darcy told Harry. "If not, then we need a new plan."

"If Griphook doesn't agree to help us, then we'll break in ourselves," Harry snapped. "I just – let him think it over. I think Griphook will help us. I'm sure of it. He knows that we aren't breaking into the vault for personal gain. When have we ever done anything for personal gain?"

Harry was right.

"Then we all agree that breaking in Gringotts is the next part of our plan?" Harry finally asked everyone.

Darcy and Lupin locked eyes. The five of them were huddled together and everyone's shoulders were touching. They all agreed that Harry was right.

Ron scratched his head. "Do we put our hands in the middle or something? Like a Quidditch match?"

"For what?" giggled Darcy.

"To… you know… like," Ron flushed a bright red. "Make it like we're an actual team."

"If that makes you feel better," Darcy shrugged and she put her hand in the middle. Lupin put his hand on her's and Ron smiled and looked at Darcy. She ruffled his hair and everyone grabbed hands.

They were in it together now, until the end, knowing quite well that they were probably doomed.


	23. Teddy Remus Lupin

****hi guys! this chapter is the beginning of change. after this, everything will be intense. kinda. sorta. if you're into that kind of stuff. i hope all you americans enjoyed your thanksgiving and i hope you all enjoy this chapter.

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><p><strong>TEDDY REMUS LUPIN.<strong>

Lupin stood outside Darcy's bedroom door for what seemed like hours. He rubbed his temples and breathed in once more before knocking on her. Darcy opened it right away and pulled him into her room by the front of his shirt. She shut the door loudly and stood, looking at Lupin with wide eyes.

"Hi," he said awkwardly and Darcy smiled. Lupin tore his eyes away from her's, not wanting to be distracted from the real reason he knocked on her door. "Darcy, I need to talk to you. Right now. Quickly."

Darcy backed away from Lupin and sat down on the end of the bed. She pursed her lips and nodded, expecting Lupin to want to continue the search for Horcruxes with them. Lupin ran a hand through his hair and exhaled.

"I need to go home," he told her quietly and Darcy's heart dropped. She couldn't meet his gaze. That wasn't what she was expecting from him. "Not forever, but I – I think – the baby –"

Darcy did not want to be selfish, so she held her tongue and refused to tell Lupin she didn't want him to go. Lupin wanted so desperately to hear Darcy beg him to stay with her. Had she said something to keep him there, he would have stayed without hesitation. No matter how wrong it was to leave his wife, he wanted to stay with Darcy, afraid that he might never see her again. He didn't know how long he would be gone and he didn't know how long Darcy and everyone would stay at Shell Cottage before moving on. He wasn't even sure Darcy would wait for him. After all, he had never really waited for her. She owed him nothing.

He could see the sadness in Darcy's eyes. "It won't be long," whispered Lupin, feeling guilty for betraying Tonks, but at the same time, feeling horrible for leaving Darcy. How many times had he done that? How many times had he told Darcy he'd stay, only to leave a little while later? "Because I – I want to stay with you. I want to help you defeat You-Know-Who. I owe it to you. I just want to protect you the best I can."

Darcy nodded and slumped her shoulders. Lupin sighed. There was no easy way to tell Darcy all of this. "No, you should go," she finally said, trying to smile. "You should be with your family, especially since Tonks will have the baby soon. Or has she already…?"

"I don't know," Lupin replied. "That's why I'm going to find out."

Darcy bit down hard on her bottom lip and pulled herself together so Lupin wouldn't feel so bad about leaving. "You should stay with Tonks," Darcy told him and it hurt her to say so. It was the worst pain the world, knowing that she finally had Lupin and knowing that he really loved her more, but having to push him away to do the right thing. "She really needs you. She really, really wants you."

Lupin hesitated and stepped closer to Darcy. "But I want you."

Darcy heart raced and she looked up at him and smiled weakly.

"And she knows that. Tonks knows. That's why she told me to go find you," explained Lupin. "Come here."

He stepped up to Darcy and hugged her tightly. She rested her head against his chest and sighed, closing her eyes. She breathed in slowly, trying to cherish the moment and then Darcy wrapped her arms around Lupin's torso. "Please come back to me this time," breathed Darcy.

Lupin licked his lips and rested his chin atop her head. "I promise you," he replied, kissing her forehead. "I will."

* * *

><p>Lupin left shortly after his conversation with Darcy. The sun was beginning to go down and a crisp wind forced Lupin to wrap himself in scarves. He was partially glad he was leaving Shell Cottage for a bit; the full moon was coming up and he wasn't sure if he had taken enough Wolfsbane. He had lost track of time and had forgotten to ask Darcy to brew some. The only potion he had was some leftovers he packed a long time ago. At least Darcy wouldn't have to see him transform, but she already knew what he was like and claimed not to care. The corners of Lupin's mouth twitched upwards at this thought.<p>

Equipped with a dusty and old suitcase with his initials on it and a cane, Lupin exited Shell Cottage quietly and Disapparated while everyone was busy and not paying attention. Darcy saw him leave from the window of her bedroom and she shut the curtains, locking the bedroom door and going to sleep.

Arriving at his wife's home, Lupin suddenly felt fearful and naked. Without Darcy by his side to comfort him, he was lonely and afraid for his life. Who took better care of him than Darcy?

Lupin did not know what to expect. Would there be a small cub inside waiting for his father to come home? Would Tonks still be pregnant and waiting for Lupin? Did she think that he was going to come back to her after realizing Darcy was not what he wanted? Or did Tonks think that Lupin would be gone for good, realizing it was Darcy he wanted more?

He stood staring at the house for a long time, thinking hard about what was going to happen as soon as he approached that door. He didn't want to stay a long time, because no matter how childish and immature it was, he wanted to return to Darcy. He did not want to keep her waiting too long for him because he knew she already did not have much faith in him to return.

Three days would be the maximum, he decided. Or was that too long? How long was Darcy going to wait for him? Why could he only think of Darcy? His mind needed to be on Tonks and the baby now. He needed to clear his brain of Darcy and everything related to the Potter girl.

Then again, Tonks would want to know if Lupin found Darcy. She would want to know how her friend was doing and what she was doing and where she was and how she was. Tonks would continually question him until it was time to go to sleep – Lupin knew Tonks. Tonks wouldn't shut up.

Finally, Lupin built up the courage to knock on the door. It was very skinny and the wood was chipping. The house Tonks lived in looked so unlike Tonks. The colors were bland and dead instead of colorful and chipper and someone could have taken much better care of the house, but with Lupin gone, there was no one there to do that. Not like he could have done it anyway. He was far too weak and tired to do housework like that, no matter how terribly he wished he could make everything better for his wife after all she had done for him.

He waited a few seconds until the door opened and his eyes widened as Tonks' dark eyes found his. His eyes dropped to her stomach and he noticed it was flatter than it should have been. His voice came out as a whisper.

"Is the baby okay?" he asked and Tonks smiled genuinely.

Tonks leaped forward and wrapped her arms around Lupin's neck. He tensed up, but breathed out slowly and hugged her back, holding her tightly. "Yes, he's beautiful," she whispered and ushered Lupin inside.

Tonks took Lupin's briefcase and put it in the sitting room, where there was a warm fire going. Music was playing from somewhere, but he didn't see a radio. The song was crackly and sounded old. He kept his cane, leaning on it lazily.

As Tonks motioned for him to go upstairs, Lupin's stomach churned with anxiety. He had missed the birth of quite possibly the only child he was ever going to have. He missed the birth and he had no say in what to name the child and his son – was it going to be like him? He pictured a small, furry creature that resembled a human and a wolf. His heart was beating frantically and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. Tonks led him upstairs to the second floor, where she had a nursery all set up for their child. She held onto Lupin's hand gently as they stood in the doorway to the baby room.

Tonks smiled up at Lupin. "His name is Teddy," Tonks told him. "After his grandfather. Teddy Remus Lupin."

"Teddy Remus," Lupin repeated, running his fingers through his hair. His heart was beating quickly and he swallowed. Time seemed to slow down. He turned to Tonks. "He's not – please – is he like – like… me?"

Tonks smiled. "No, Remus," she said. "He's – you know, like me. He's a Metamorphmagus. Nothing dangerous about that."

Tears sprang to Lupin's eyes. He was so happy, so incredibly happy. For nine months, he worried that he might pass his disease to his little son, who was so innocent and did not deserve anything horrible. The last thing Lupin wanted was his own kin to suffer from the same disease he had to endure his entire life. He didn't want his son to be part of the prejudice war in the Wizarding world. It would have been too much for the poor child – it was almost too much for Lupin. "Can I – er – hold him? Please?"

"He's your son, too, Remus," giggled Tonks, leading Lupin over to Teddy's crib. The baby was so small and half-asleep. Teddy's hair was white and Lupin wished he would open his eyes so he could see the color of those. "Go ahead. Teddy isn't a crier."

Lupin, hands shaking, put his cane against the wall and reached in Teddy's crib slowly. He slid a hand behind his son's head and then his body. Lupin's hands were big and manly and could easily hold Teddy protectively. He held Teddy close to his chest, supporting his head. Almost immediately, Teddy opened his mouth and began to cry, opening his eyes and revealing bright green colored eyes.

Lupin began to panic, but could not look away from Teddy's eyes. Tonks rushed over to her husband and took Teddy into her arms, calming her son, but Lupin only had one thing on his mind. He grabbed the edge of the crib to keep himself steady and on his feet. As Tonks rocked the child in her arms, Lupin's mouth was slightly agape and everything around him began to spin.

The color of Teddy's eyes were the exact green of Darcy's.

* * *

><p>Lupin watched the fire crackle in the fireplace. It had been a while since he could sit down on a comfortable couch and not feel endangered. Of course, he was worried, but he knew that the probability of him being killed randomly at that moment was slight.<p>

There were so many things he had to say to Tonks. Night had fallen and the moon was out and he was sick as a dog. He wasn't really that sick, but he felt weak in the knees and his stomach was constantly nauseous. That was partially from the disease and partially because of what he had seen earlier that day. Was Teddy teasing him? Was it some kind of sign that he should be with Darcy? Or was he just over thinking the entire thing?

How could he have not talked to his own wife about everything yet? He had just upped and left her without a proper explanation. Tonks knew everything about Lupin's feelings for Darcy – well, she knew the gist of it. Lupin loved Darcy and was worried. That was it. She had no idea that Lupin fell asleep every night dreaming of her and praying for her safe return. She had no idea that Darcy was always in his thoughts, smiling at him with her big front teeth and bright green eyes. He was safe inside his mind.

As Tonks stopped Teddy from crying and put him to bed, Lupin made up his mind to talk to her.

"Dora?"

"Yes, Remus?" she called from the second floor. Her voice echoed throughout the house since the floors were wooden.

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are."

"Do you know what for?"

There was a short pause. Tonks knew exactly what for, but wanted to hear it outloud. "Enlighten me."

"Dora, I missed the birth of our child… I – I left you… I shouldn't have."

Tonks came slowly down to staircase to look at Lupin, who was standing at the bottom, waiting for her. Her eyes were wide, not expecting Lupin to apologize and be so blunt. Her voice was still happy and excited, just as Tonks always was. She had learned to control her spouts of anger and sadness. Instead, she was always so calm now and it unnerved Lupin. Tonks kept staring at him, unable to speak.

"I'm so sorry," he shrugged, not knowing what else to say to Tonks. "Leaving you was wrong. I had to go, you see…"

Tonks reached the bottom of the staircase and got closer to her husband, who did not back away. She kissed his cheek softly and Lupin touched where her lips had touched. It was the first time she had kissed him since he came back. "Remus?" she asked.

He hummed in response.

"Can't you stay this time?" she continued quietly and sadly.

Lupin's heart broke. He wanted to stay with her so badly and care for his child. Teddy was the one thing really stopping him from dropping everything and going back to Darcy. Teddy was his flesh and blood and never in a million years did Lupin think he was actually going to have a child. Of course, he had pictured having children, but wolf cubs – not a baby! Teddy excited him. It made his heart beat faster and he smiled instantly at the thought of taking care of his child and teaching him how to be a man. He was excited for Teddy to go to Hogwarts and meet friends, but that was so far in the future.

Lupin wasn't even sure if he was going to have a future. If he returned to Darcy, he risked his life as a father. If he stayed with Tonks, he would live the rest of his life wondering why he didn't protect Darcy.

James would have wanted him to protect his daughter the best he could.

Oh, but why was he bringing James into it? James was not a factor at all, despite the fact they were best friends. No, Lupin knew the real reason he wanted so desperately to go back to the Potter girl. It wasn't because he felt obligated because she was his best friend's daughter. It wasn't because she needed protection at all. Lupin believed she could do just fine on her own and she definitely showed the ability to take care of herself.

Lupin wanted to return to Darcy because he loved her, regardless of how inappropriate it was. He wasn't even sure Darcy returned his love anymore. He had hurt her so many times and broken her and there he was, doing the same thing to Tonks. Tonks was so good to him and so kind and she was his wife. She had carried his child and was now taking care of Teddy by herself. He could not just walk away from his family.

And what would Tonks's parents think? They'd be angry and furious with him for hurting their daughter after she had done nothing but love and care for him and his every flaw. After trusting him with her life and having a baby grow inside her for nine months – how could he leave all that behind for a twenty-one year old girl? His best friend's daughter? His ex-student?

He was old. He was a werewolf. He was in danger. He needed to settle down. Lupin observed Tonks's face carefully. Apparently, he had been thinking for a long time because his legs were beginning to get numb and Tonks looked slightly uncomfortable. She raised her thin eyebrows and frowned, sure that she was going to get an answer that she did not want.

Lupin didn't have that much time. He needed to accomplish everything he wanted to accomplish.

"Remus?"

"Yes?" He snapped out of it and shook his head. Tonks touched his shoulders and sighed. She didn't want to hear an answer, afraid she would not like it.

"Maybe we should just – you could, um – sleep on it?" she suggested and Lupin nodded, sure that it was a good idea.

Lupin and Tonks went to bed together and laid straight as arrows on opposite sides of the bed. There was no touching and it was a cold night. There was space between them for another person Harry's size. They stared up at the ceiling and Lupin waited for Teddy to start crying because he was sure babies did that – didn't they cry all night long?

"Is Teddy okay?" he asked for the fourth time.

Tonks cracked a small smile. "He doesn't cry much," Tonks explained. "But if you're worried, you can check on him."

Lupin got up quickly in an undershirt and silk pants Tonks got him for his birthday a few years back. They were nice and comfy and easy to maneuver in. He hadn't worn them for a while since he hadn't packed them when he left to find Darcy.

He found Teddy's room and walked up to his crib. Teddy was sound asleep, his hair turquoise and his skin very pale. Lupin wanted his son to open his eyes to see if they were a different color, but he didn't want to disturb Teddy at all. Lupin reached his hand in the crib and touched his child's hand with his index finger. The baby's hand was smooth and chubby and Lupin couldn't help but smile.

"Told you he was fine."

Tonks's voice made Lupin jump and his heart stop for a second. He chuckled to himself and nodded. "You were right," he sighed, looking at her and pursing his lips. "I guess you know best."

"Remus," began Tonks, biting down on her bottom lip. "If there's anything you want to tell me… you should just do it now… and get it – get it over with."

Lupin hesitated. Was she setting him up or did she really want to get it over with? "Dora," he said slowly and she put her head down. She knew that his ominous tone meant something. "You do make me happy and you make me smile and laugh and – that's a big deal for me because, well – I never even expected to get married, nevermind have a child. I am truly glad you came around."

"But?" Tonks interrupted, knowing there was a catch.

"But I can't say this is what I really want," he finished, slumping his shoulders. He felt worse than Tonks. He never thought he'd have to give this speech. "Because what I really want is to be out there helping Darcy do whatever she has to do."

Tonks was silent. He felt like a complete idiot.

"And I know I'm a fool, you don't have to say it because I know you're thinking it, too," he spluttered. "And I wish I didn't have to say this to you, Dora. Especially with – with Teddy. But I'll help you raise him because he's mine – he's partially mine even though you really did all the work carrying him. I just, I guess, rushed into things thinking that it would make me happy, when in reality, I was never happy."

Tonks shrugged. "I'm not stupid," she laughed through tears, very upset and visibly depressed. "I knew you loved Darcy all this time."

Lupin nodded slowly and ran a hand through his hair. "I do," he agreed. "I love her and I have to go back and help her. And I'm so sorry I have to do this to you."

"I can't say I didn't see this coming," whispered Tonks. "But I hoped that I wouldn't have to hear it." There was an awkward silence. "At least wait until the full moon passes. That way you won't have to deal with it around Darcy."

"Ah, she can take care of –" Lupin began, but Tonks interrupted him, teary eyed.

"Please," she begged quietly. "Just stay a little bit longer. Let me take care of you just for a little bit more. Then you can go back to her. I just want you for as long as I can."

Lupin never felt worse. He nodded and barely audibly replied, "Okay."


	24. Crazy Dragons in Romania

ready for an epic plot twist? xx

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><p><strong>CRAZY DRAGONS IN ROMANIA.<strong>

Teddy Lupin was, by no means, a mistake. He was a miracle – a gift from God. The beautiful _human_ child in Lupin's arms was his greatest achievement in his entire life and he was very proud to have such a handsome baby.

He absolutely despised the word 'mistake.' It implies that you didn't want to do whatever it was you did in the first place. You learned from mistakes, never wanting to repeat what you had done. Saying that marrying Tonks was a mistake – that was the last thing Lupin ever wanted to even think about.

Tonks was a beautiful girl with a cheery disposition and a head full of air. She annoyed Lupin sometimes with her optimism and inability to take some things seriously, but she gave great advice. He wished she could follow her own advice. Despite her flaws, Tonks had a wonderful heart and saw people for who they truly were. Tonks was an excellent judge of character and it amazed her friends, as well.

Was marrying her a mistake, though? As horrible as it sounded – was leading her on and returning to her and making her an option instead of a priority a mistake? Lupin was beginning to think so. Partially. It wasn't a complete mistake, for he adored the sleeping child in his arms and wouldn't trade his baby for the world. How could he call her a mistake when he loved her so dearly? There was no denying that he loved her. When Lupin kissed her goodnight and blurted out "I love you" randomly, he wasn't lying – he was being completely truthful and Tonks knew that, but she was never his priority.

Darcy Potter was his priority. And, while he abandoned the young girl yet again to return to his wife and child and safe haven, Darcy was lying in an almost too comfortable bed at Shell Cottage, patiently awaiting his arrival once more. She was sleeping soundly, knowing that Lupin would return to her this time for sure, only afraid that he'd be caught sometime between now and then.

Rubbing his temples with his free hand, Lupin sighed. The full moon was approaching and he was becoming moody. He couldn't think straight because all his energy was drained. He had no idea if he was thinking rationally or not. It _seemed_ thought out and rational, but he couldn't be quite sure.

Lupin stood up with Teddy and waved his wand, putting out the fire that burned warmly in the fireplace. Three stockings hung, still waiting to be taken down with the rest of the holiday decorations. He then walked up the rickety stairs to put Teddy in his crib before he woke up and starting crying.

Whenever Lupin held Teddy while awake, Teddy seemed to cry more often. It upset him beyond belief, but Tonks assured him it was just because babies felt safer with a maternal figure – he highly doubted she was right, but tried to make himself believe she was.

Lupin tucked Teddy in bed successfully and stood at the foot of the crib for a few more seconds. He watched as his son's hair turned to a brilliant shade of pink and he wondered again what color his eyes were. He wondered if they were still the green of Darcy's.

Slowly walking out the door, he left it cracked so he would be able to hear the crying if Teddy were to wake up in the middle of the night. He was exhausted and his bones hurt and ached. Lupin felt so incredibly old and felt he might fall over on his way to his bedroom and reduce to nothing but dust. He finally made his way to the door and opened it. Tonks was still awake, he could hear her breathing quicken as he walked through the doorway and left the door slightly open.

"Dora," he whispered and she hummed a response. He stood in the dark, able to see the outline of her body. "Dora?"

She hummed again, turning her back to him, trying to fall asleep. The last thing she wanted a serious talk about how their relationship was failing. Falling asleep to that thought gave her the worst dreams. "What?"

He didn't even know what he wanted to say to her. Lupin just wanted to hear her voice and know that she was awake and listening to him.

When he didn't answer, Tonks spoke again. "Come here."

Lupin walked over to Tonks and laid down beside her. He curled up under the blankets and wished that Darcy's warm body was pressed up against his, the only layers between them a thin sheet and underwear.

Tonks brought him back to reality by kissing his lips gently. "Say good-bye to me this time, okay?" She brushed his shaggy hair with her nails and pursed her lips. "If you're going to leave for good, say good-bye."

Lupin closed his eyes as Tonks ran her fingers through his hair. It was so relaxing and nice.

"Can you promise me that?"

The combing of his hair had stopped. Lupin's eyes snapped open. She was looking at him, waiting for his response. "I promise I'll say good-bye."

* * *

><p>Darcy had taken her shoes off. For winter or spring or whatever the season was, it was surprisingly warm at Shell Cottage. The water was the perfect temperature – cool enough so you wouldn't be freezing when you stepped back into the air, yet warm enough to make you want to stay in it forever.<p>

The water lapped at her feet, which were sinking slowly into the rocky sand. She suddenly opened her mouth and looked up at the sky, screaming as loud as she could, screaming out all the anger, frustration, and fear she had felt for those past months on the hunt for Horcruxes. Darcy knew that no one was around for miles and miles and no one would hear her and that she was safe, so she continued to scream until the veins popped from her neck and her face turned purple and blue.

After running out of breath, she collapsed and sat down in the wet sand, getting her jeans dirty and damp as the water made her entire torso soaked. She didn't care and hardly noticed. She was wiping her eyes, crying huge tears of stress and aggravation. Darcy sat there for a few minutes, holding her head in her hands, her back jumping with each sob.

She thought of Lupin and how he had been gone for longer than she thought. She assumed Lupin would be back the same day he left. How long did it take to say good-bye to Tonks? But then again, he had a child now. Darcy's heart ached painfully. How long would he be there? Until the full moon? Did he want Tonks to take care of her? She ran a hand through her hair and wallowed loudly, sighing. He would come back to her. She knew he would.

Darcy felt strange; she held her head up and looked around. It was so incredibly quiet – quieter than ever. The only sound was the slight breeze and the birds flying and the small waves crashing. She loved it. No one was talking – arguing – and no one was asking her for help or for her opinion or to tell her and idea. No one was bugging her to play chess and no one was noisily reading a book aloud.

She felt so at peace at that moment. She felt so content without disturbances and even though they were in a dangerous situation and even though Lupin was with his wife doing God knows what, she was happy and peaceful.

* * *

><p>Harry sat at the breakfast table with Hermione, quietly picking at his scrambled eggs. Hermione had finished her breakfast minutes ago, but continued to watch Harry. He seemed irritated or frustrated by something, but she didn't know what. Was it Griphook? Was he concerned about their new plan, or something entirely different?<p>

"I thought it would be good for her," Harry muttered, his mouth dry. All the saliva had been sucked up and the corners of his lips were cracking painfully. "You know, to bring him along with us. Was it a good idea?"

Hermione breathed in deeply, not expecting that at all. "Of course – everything is fine, Harry, quit worrying."

"Do you think we should talk to her?" asked Harry, looking at Hermione seriously. His green eyes were open wide and he looked genuinely afraid and worried.

"About what?" Hermione said, placing her hand on top of Harry's. She smiled faintly. "Darcy's fine, Harry. She's absolutely fine. She's still sane and still capable of thinking for herself and others with or without him."

"It's just –" Harry retracted his hand from the table and put both them in his lap. Hermione flushed and looked away, still listening to her friend. "I don't want something to happen that Darcy will – you know – make her want to give up or something."

"You mean like Remus leaving again?" said Hermione softly and Harry nodded. "I – I don't think Remus is going to leave her this time. I see the way he looks at her, Harry. He really does care about her a lot."

Harry didn't say anything, but stood up slowly, pushing his chair in. Hermione watched him carefully. He scraped the food off his plate manually into a trash bin and then rinsed his plate, leaving it in the sink for the magic sponge to clean it later. Or Fleur would. Under lots of stress, Fleur tended to clean everything she could by herself, which was probably why the cottage was absolutely spotless.

He was looking out the kitchen window towards the ocean. Darcy was still sitting down there, getting wetter by the minute. She had been out there for a long time, almost ten minutes and Harry thought she would most definitely freeze to death sitting in that water. He opened the screen door and began his walk down to his sister.

Darcy's peaceful thoughts were interrupted by her brother, who approached her slowly as if a wild animal. He stood behind her for a little bit, keeping away from the water so he wouldn't get his feet wet. Harry noticed how sandy and wet she was and wanted to get her back inside. He should have brought a towel. Or some food for her to eat.

She did not say anything or acknowledge his presence, but she knew he was there.

"Er – how's your shoulder?"

Darcy turned her head, but did not look at Harry. Her ears seemed to perk up quite like a cat's. "Better, thank you."

"We're uh – Hermione, Ron, and I – we're planning on speaking with Ollivander tonight," he explained and Darcy nodded, uninterested. "About the Deathly Hallows. We figure he might know something about the wand."

"You don't need me for that," Darcy replied with venom in her tone. "You know how I feel about the Deathly Hallows. That's low on our priority list. But if you must –"

"Because waiting for Lupin to return is any higher on our list? What information does he bring to this group and mission?" Harry snapped back. "At least we're trying to carry on before things get worse between – no, you know what, I'm sorry, and I didn't mean that."

Darcy scoffed and smiled a small smile. Harry saw it and smiled, as well. There was a long silence between the two and finally, trying to appease his sister, Harry sat down beside her. He was surprised that the water wasn't as freezing cold as he first assumed and it wasn't that uncomfortable. They sat with their arms touching, close enough to feel each other's warmth.

After a while, Darcy finally said, "I want you to know, Harry, that the only reason I'm doing this is for you."

Harry was quiet.

"I'm not doing this for myself or Remus or Hermione or Ron or even the good of the world," she admitted quietly. "I'm only doing it for you. Call me selfish, but I've been through too much and if it were anybody else in this much danger, I wouldn't even bother trying."

Amazed and unable to speak, Harry waited to see if she would continue.

"All the nights where I didn't eat, but you did," she said again. "And being tortured by Bellatrix, and all the struggles – you're the only person I would ever go through this for." There was another long silence. "I'm tired."

Darcy said it so casually, those two words, but Harry knew exactly what she meant. She wasn't tired as in "I didn't get enough sleep last night" kind of tired. She was tired of everything. She was tired of being betrayed by people she loved and thought were good. She was tired of everyone she loved dropping dead. She was tired of constantly running from Voldemort and his army, while at the same time, always chasing after him. She was tired of living the life of a Potter child. It was difficult and tiring and she needed rest. She needed time to herself, to stop and think, to sleep for ages and be in the company of people she loved.

Harry rubbed his eyes, not sure what to say or how to comfort her. Darcy rested her head on Harry's shoulder, getting comfortable and closing her eyes.

"Oh," moaned Darcy, close to tears, but blinking them back. "I wish I could just – just swim. Swim all the way out. Forever. And if I ever got tired, I could just sleep on a cloud. That'd be comfortable, don't you think?"

Harry looked down at his sister, who was still leaning up against him. He nodded slowly, but she hardly noticed. "I'm sorry."

Darcy knew what he meant. They always knew what each other meant without having to elaborate. Their minds were almost the same. "You don't have to be sorry, Harry," she whispered. Darcy's eyes opened, but she did not move. "None of this is your fault, okay? You couldn't have helped anything that happened that night. You couldn't have jumped out of the way of the curse, you couldn't have killed him, and you should be lucky you escaped with just a scar."

"But is it worth it?" he inquired. "Is all this – everything – is it worth what we've been going through since we were kids? The duels and giant snakes and ridiculous professors? What about our lives is lucky? If I had just – just – _died _that night, we would have been just another casualty. Now because of some extraordinary _miracle_, we're stuck in this position."

"Do you believe the prophecy is true?" breathed Darcy.

"Yes, I do."

"Me too." She cleared her throat. "I didn't believe it at first because there are hundreds of other people it could have been, right? I mean – why is it you? Why is it us right now?"

Harry did not answer. He was thinking about something else, trying to figure out how to word it. "Knowing everything you know right now," Harry said almost silently. "Would you go back and do it all differently?"

Darcy thought hard. She thought for a very long time about every horrible and dangerous situation she had ever been put in with her brother and friends. She thought about every year at Hogwarts and how she had trusted Snape foolishly. She remembered Dumbledore's Army – that was a stupid idea. And going to find Sirius? If she hadn't gone to save him, someone else could have died, as well. She thought about her relationship with Lupin. Would she have changed anything about it? Would she ever want to just go back and never speak with Lupin during her seventh year? Her thoughts were clouded and it was hard to be rational. Finally, she looked up at Harry and put her hands on his cheeks, kissing his forehead. Harry's eyes closed slowly as his sister's maternal side began to come out. "No."

Harry sniffed and wiped his nose with the sleeve of his dirty sweater. "Me either."

Darcy threw her arm around her brother and held him to her. He rested his head on her shoulder this time and she saw his eyes were wet. The wind was picking up and it was getting colder outside, but neither sibling moved. "Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think he'll come back to me this time?" she asked quietly.

Harry thought about it in great detail. He remembered how Lupin looked at his sister and how he spoke of her. Lupin always spoke of Darcy so highly and Harry respected a man who respected his sister like that. He answered honestly. "I think he will," Harry told Darcy. "And I think he'll stay forever this time."

Darcy grinned, her eyes filling with tears. "How weird is it? On a scale of one to ten?" she asked, giggling slightly.

Harry let out a 'ha!' "I can't lie and say it wasn't weird at all," he admitted. "But seriously – it came out of nowhere. I never thought in a million years my sister would be dating – well – _him_."

"Who else do you think I'd be dating?" Darcy smiled, poking her brother in the side as he jumped and twitched.

"I had my money on Oliver Wood."

"_God_, no!" laughed Darcy. Harry was smiling, his eyes dry and bright. "Out of everyone, you thought _Oliver Wood_? I've got higher standards than that!"

Harry snorted. "It was either him or one of the twins."

Darcy blushed. "Oh, I hate you." She stopped tickling Harry and stood up, wiping all the sand off her pants. It was no use because it was all wet and stuck everywhere. "You know, Harry," she continued as he stood and followed her lead. "Hermione is a sweet girl, have you ever thought –"

"_Darcy_! Shut up!"

* * *

><p>Lupin missed Darcy's intellectual mind. He missed having long conversation about books – Muggle books, too – and he missed having conversations about potions with her because she knew every single potion in the entire world. It was incredible to listen to her talk for hours about something she was so passionate about. She would speak with her hands and her eyes would light up. Listening to someone talk about what they loved made them a thousand times more amazing and beautiful, in Lupin's opinion.<p>

He and Tonks hardly talked, except about Teddy. They would exchange pleasantries as if strangers and only really speak when their son needed something or needed to be watched. It was just another terrible situation to be in, but Lupin needed to stay two more nights. That night was the full moon and the sun was bound to set in a few hours. He also needed one more day to rest up. However, he wanted to leave when the sun rose in the morning because he wanted Darcy to take care of him like she usually did, by washing his wounds and bruises and scratch marks. She was so wonderful at helping him after transformations – and so understanding, too.

Sick as a dog, Lupin laid on the couch all day, trying to sweat out a high fever. Every full moon was like this, so it was nothing new. Tonks came into the living room once and gave Lupin a cool washcloth to put on his forehead, and while it was refreshing, it really didn't do much to make him feel better. His limbs were shaky and felt unmovable.

There were only two things that truly gave him hope and happiness while he lay sick on the couch. The first thing was the fact that Teddy did not display any signs or symptoms of lycanthropy. It made Lupin's heart lighter that Teddy laughed and played and cooed while Lupin felt like death. The second thing was that in a few days, he would be seeing Darcy again, and even though they had an important mission to complete, he could finally be with Darcy forever. He wasn't sure how long forever was going to be because of all the danger she was throwing herself into with her brother, but Lupin knew he was going to be with her until the end. He owed it to her after hurting her so many times.

Tonks approached Lupin with a steaming bowl. She looked around and then, holding the bowl with one hand, she waved her wand and a small table automatically moved from the corner of the room to right beside Lupin. She placed the bowl – which was onion soup – on the table and waited for Lupin to take a bite. She watched him and he looked up at her.

"Thank you," he rasped.

Tonks nodded slowly and then, without warning, broke down into tears. She wiped her eyes with her palms, but the tears did not stop. Lupin wasn't quite sure what to do. He couldn't really comfort her because he was so sick, but what was he supposed to say? Why was she crying? He had an idea, but he didn't want to think about how much he was hurting Tonks. He could never win.

"Dora, please –" he begged. "Please – stop." The anger – the wolf – was taking over his mind and his body. Although the sun was still high in the sky, he knew that in a few hours, he would have to leave the house and find a place to safely transform. He could not bear to imagine accidentally hurting his child like he hurt Darcy. It tore him up inside every time he thought about the disgusting scars on her shoulder that had been recently cut open. It broke his heart to watch her pretend the scars did not bother her one bit. "_DORA_!" Lupin shouted and Tonks shut up quickly. "Please…"

Tonks covered her face with her hands. "Be safe tonight," she whispered, running from the room and leaving Lupin with a shattered heart.

* * *

><p>At around eight o'clock that night, Charlie Weasley arrived at the door of Tonks's quaint home. He was dressed in a thick leather jacket and new jeans. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets. Glancing up at the sky, he knew that Lupin was somewhere out in the woods, transforming. Unsure if he was safe or not, he knew better than to go looking for him. He did not ask Tonks if he had taken his potion.<p>

Tonks ushered Charlie in. She had sent him a letter earlier that day, asking if he could come at night to watch Teddy while she went out for a little. He only knew that Lupin was suddenly back after disappearing for so long and he wanted answered, but there was no chance of him getting any at the moment.

"Are we going to talk?" asked Charlie instantly as Tonks shut the door. "You look great, by the way." He gave her a hug and a friendly peck on the cheek, removing his jacket.

Tonks had bags under her eyes and her hair was the same mousey-brown it had been a while before. Charlie hoped that nothing terrible had happened, but his mind wouldn't stop wandering, thinking of all the possible outcomes. The one that stuck in his mind the most made him almost want to cry: _Something happened to Darcy._

Leading Charlie up the rickety stairs, Tonks brought the Weasley to Teddy's room, where the baby was sound asleep, snoring slightly. Charlie beamed at the beautiful boy, raising his eyebrows and looking at Tonks. "He's lovely, Dora," he whispered to her. "I'm impressed."

Tonks smiled sweetly, but shyly. "Thank you, Charlie," she replied with a sniff. "He'll sleep throughout the night. I just need you to watch him and make sure he does for a few hours because I have to go out and get some things."

"Grocery shopping late at night?" winked Charlie. "What are you really up to?"

Charlie was joking, but Tonks's smile faded. She looked away and cleared her throat.

"What's going on?" he asked again, this time a bit more worried. His heart was beginning to race and he held his breath as she breathed in deeply and blew it all out.

Tonks looked as if she was going to speak, but she shook her head slowly and left Teddy's room, Charlie trailing after her. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she quickly grabbed a coat and called out over her shoulder, "I can't tell you!"

Charlie jumped at her and grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving the house. "Don't you pull that bullshit with me," he told her angrily. "All summer, Darcy and her friends have been keeping me out of the loop. My own _family_ hasn't been telling me anything, Dora! Now tell me what's going on so I don't have to worry all the damn time!"

Tonks did not answer, but looked up into Charlie's eyes with such sadness that it nearly killed him.

"You told my mum that Remus went looking for everyone!" shouted Charlie, growing increasingly frustrated by the moment. "And now he's back!" Tears were filling the grown man's eyes when he thought of Darcy's face. Was she even alive? "Tell me what happened. Did he find them, Dora? Please. Please, I need to know."

She ripped her arm away from Charlie. "You need to know how Darcy is, do you? Don't you care about anything else, Charlie? Does anyone in this world not love Darcy?"

"What?" Charlie blinked. "Dora, it isn't like that –"

"Please!" spat Tonks. "My own husband left me to go find Darcy, not even sure of her whereabouts or – or – he didn't even know if she was dead or alive! He just up and left! And I told him it was okay, but he shouldn't have gone – he should have known to stay with me!"

"Dora – I didn't mean to –"

"And now you're here, asking about Darcy, as well!" she continued. "Is that all you care about? Darcy, Darcy, Darcy! That's all I _ever_ hear about! And I am absolutely _sick_ of it!"

"Dora, I never meant it like that – don't you – listen," Charlie touched her shoulders and attempted to calm Tonks down. "Darcy, Harry, Hermione, and my brother are out risking their lives for the entire world right now. They're in constant danger and I – I – no one knows if they're dead or alive. Don't we all have the right to worry about them?"

Tonks rubbed her eyes. "I know, I'm sorry," she sighed. "It's just – I miss her, too. I miss them all. I wish he would love me the way he loves her. I wished that before we married. I knew that I was never Remus's priority."

Charlie was quiet, waiting for her to continue.

Tonks stepped closer to Charlie, lowering her voice, although he was sure no one else was going to hear them speaking. "He found her, you know. He came back to tell me he was staying with them."

"Where are they?"

Tonks swallowed. "Shell Cottage."

"Bill's?" inquired Charlie, thinking hard. How had he not thought of that before? It was so obvious… "How long have they been there?"

Tonks shrugged. "I don't know. Remus came back to transform for the full moon and then I guess he's going back. I don't know when. I just – I'm going to get some supplies for the potion. He can take those with him and Darcy can make him the potion wherever they decide to go."

"They're all okay?"

"As far as I know. If you want to speak to Remus, do so tomorrow morning, but I doubt he'll give you any information. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, you know," she whispered again. "I just – I thought you deserved to hear it."

Charlie nodded and wrapped his arms around Tonks. "Thank you," he breathed and she nodded, backing away from him. She left the house and Charlie heard a faint _pop!_ and she was gone.

* * *

><p>Tonks was right – Teddy slept through the night soundlessly. Several times, Charlie checked up on the baby, afraid he had somehow killed Teddy, but no. Teddy slept in the same position, his little chest rising and falling with each small breath he took. Sometimes he cooed or moaned in his sleep and it made Charlie's heart flutter. Teddy was adorable.<p>

He thought about things for hours. Tonks was out an awfully long time and he knew that she'd come back safely. He didn't have to worry about Tonks. Tonks was a very skilled Auror and knew how to get herself out of sticky situations. If she didn't come back by sunrise, then that would be the time to worry.

Darcy was still alive. And she was at Shell Cottage. Waiting for Lupin to return from the house he was currently in. He wasn't supposed to know – was he not supposed to visit her, then? What if he approached Lupin and told him he knew. Would Lupin bring him back when he returned to Bill's? Or should he just go as soon as Tonks returned home?

Charlie didn't want to make Tonks feel worse. Lupin was already leaving her for Darcy – again – and Charlie didn't want to do the same. However, he had spent tons of time with Tonks before even knowing Darcy. The fact that he could hug Darcy again was exciting him. For months he thought her dead, along with his brother and his friends. Maybe going to Shell Cottage would give him answers. He could reassure his family after speaking with Darcy.

Yes, that's what he would do. He would go to her. Patiently, he waited for Tonks to return.

* * *

><p>As the sun was just peeking over the large hills behind Tonks's cozy home, Charlie was just waking up from a short nap. The door to the house was opening and he thought it would be Lupin, returning from the woods – hopefully not naked – but it wasn't. It was Tonks, stumbling in with bags floating around her head.<p>

Charlie got to his feet quickly and ruffled his hair, making it look like he was in a hurry. He grabbed his wand and leather jacket, which he had to admit, made him feel cool. Running into the kitchen, Tonks's eyes widened when she saw Charlie breathing heavily. She froze and stared at him.

"I have to go," Charlie muttered, putting on his jacket. "Just received a letter a little while ago – dragons are going crazy in Romania. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer – rain check? We'll have to talk over a cup of tea sometime."

Tonks, a bit sad, shrugged and smiled. "Of course," she replied. "I understand. Safe travels."

"Be safe," repeated Charlie and he opened the front door, slamming it quite loudly behind him. He Disapparated quickly without thinking of anything but his brother's peaceful cottage, where Darcy was waiting.


	25. The Reunion

**so it's my 18th birthday today! i got the tattoo i have been begging for - it's the last line of the Great Gatsby on my shoulder blade: "so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." i also bought my first pack of cigarettes! i was too excited. the old man selling them to me sang happy birthday and i almost died. let's see... my brother rolled me a joint for my birthday.. he's a funny boy, but i love him to death. i hope you enjoy this filler chapter (:**

* * *

><p><strong>THE REUNION.<strong>

Darcy woke up around six in the morning. She laid in bed for a few minutes, staring up at the ceiling. She had gone to sleep early last night, probably around nine. It was the first time in a long time she had slept so peacefully all throughout the night. But since the full moon was now gone, she knew that Lupin would be back soon and that meant the five of them would be leaving very shortly.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already spoken to Ollivander. Darcy, not approving of the search for the Deathly Hallows, wanted no part of it, respectfully. She was more focused on the Horcruxes, ready to end the mission and end Voldemort and his army for good. That brought up another thing. Would destroying Voldemort mean destroying his army?

Of course, after the First Wizarding War, the Death Eaters who hadn't been sent to Azkaban lied about being controlled by Voldemort unwillingly. If Voldemort was dead, the Ministry would be sending wizards and witches to Azkaban daily. The Death Eaters were sure to lie low, right? Darcy was worried that they might still actually fight and if that was the case, her and her friends could not take on a whole army. But as long as Voldemort was gone… It didn't matter what happened to her after that because anyone could defeat a Death Eater… right?

Darcy closed her eyes again and sighed. She wanted to go back to sleep and sleep as much as she could before they were ready to leave, but there was a loud bang and Darcy sat up, realizing she was not the only one awake. It was probably Bill or Ron looking for something to eat, but then she remembered that Ron didn't wake up until around noon.

She stood up quickly, grabbing her wand just in case it was an intruder. As quietly as she could, she tiptoed to the door, opened it silently, and made her way to the top of the stairs. She couldn't see anyone in the kitchen from the staircase, which led her to believe they were now in the living room.

Darcy jumped down the stairs and held her wand out towards the living room. "Don't move!"

Whoever was there was bent down, facing away from Darcy, picking up the stack of Hermione's books they had dropped all over the floor. They froze in place and Darcy looked them over. There was something oddly familiar about the back of the body she was observing. The wide, broad shoulders and the thin waist. The short, but muscular legs that were covered by – what looked like – brand new blue jeans. Slowly, she lowered her wand and her eyes widened.

"Darcy?"

The red-headed man rose and held his hands up in sign of surrender. When he turned and noticed Darcy's wand wasn't pointed at him anymore, he put his hands on his hips and smiled brightly. Charlie Weasley was standing before Darcy, looking fantastic, as if he hadn't aged a bit. To be fair, it hadn't even been that long since they last saw each other. A few months, but Darcy had definitely changed and aged and Charlie noticed it right away.

Darcy looked much older and terribly exhausted. Her green eyes were not as bright as he last remembered them and her cheeks were sunken in. Charlie could compare her to Sirius Black's mugshot – almost vampiric. Her skin was waxy from not eating properly and due to lack of sleep. Her chin was pointed and her face was thin. Though she wasn't ugly, she wasn't the prize beauty Charlie thought her to be anymore.

"Charlie," she breathed. Charlie held his arms out to hug her, but she didn't move towards him. His smile faded quickly as she took a step backwards, shaking her head. "What are you doing here? You – you aren't supposed to – who told you I was here?"

Charlie moved closer to her cautiously, not wanting to scare her. She reminded him of a puppy who was frightened much to easily. "Doesn't matter," he replied, backing her into the kitchen and up against a counter. He gave her enough room to run from him, but she didn't move. She pressed herself up against the counter, holding onto it so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. "Darcy, you have no idea how worried I was about you. We all thought you were –" He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence.

"You shouldn't have come here," she said to Charlie and he looked at his feet, quite upset. She hesitated. "I think you should go. Tell everyone that I'm alive. Please don't tell them I was here. Don't tell anyone that Bill and Fleur were involved in this."

Charlie paused. "How come?" he shrugged. "Why can't anyone tell me what's going on?"

"I told you I can't," said Darcy, shaking her head. "It's secret, Charlie, but I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." Then she hastily added, "Not from me."

"I thought you'd be at least happy to see me," argued Charlie, swallowing the lump in his throat. Darcy watched him. He could hardly keep eye contact with her and it broke her heart. She didn't want to be telling him all this stuff. "I thought we were best friends and when you just up and left – I didn't know you'd be gone for so long. Everyone is looking for you, Darcy. Why can't you just tell me?"

Darcy eyes flooded with tears. She wasn't about to cry in front of Charlie – she didn't want to appear weak to one of her good friends. "I wish I could tell you, Charlie, believe me." She bit down on her lip. "But I just can't."

Charlie put his hands on his hips and took a step away from Darcy, finally understanding that there was no way she was going to crack. She must have given the same speech a million times. But then why was Lupin returning. Why did she accept Lupin into their group doing whatever the hell they were doing? Why Lupin and not him? "I get it," he nodded. "I'll go."

Charlie turned, but Darcy grabbed onto his hand. "Don't. Not yet."

His eyebrows raised. Darcy threw her arms around Charlie's neck and Charlie smiled, hugging her tightly around her small waist. It was so much different. Darcy could have been a completely different person. A smaller and sharper body type, a more serious personality – he didn't like this new change. He was worried that stress was taking over Darcy and that soon, she'd just fall over dead one day because of it. "God, I've been so worried about you," he sighed, kissing both her temples, her cheeks, and then her forehead.

Darcy giggled softly as the smooth feel of Charlie's lips tickled her slightly. "I missed you so much," she laughed. Charlie lifted her feet off the ground and spun her around in the air, making her smile blissfully. When Charlie finally set her back down, he kept his arms around her waist, pressing her to him. "Charlie? Are you going to let me go?"

He blushed and laughed quietly, retracting his arms quickly. "Er – sorry," he ran a hand through his hair. "I just missed you is all."

Darcy smiled and then pursed her lips, seeing how embarrassed Charlie was. Her eyes widened as if remembering something. Charlie watched her bound off to the back of the kitchen, where there was some tea ready to make. "Fancy a cuppa?" she asked Charlie in the most posh accent he ever heard.

He smiled and sat down at the kitchen table, nodding. Charlie watched as Darcy, mostly without magic, made his cup of tea. She tapped the kettle twice with her wand, making it boil quickly, and then poured it in a cup, dropping a tea bag in it and letting it sit. She then poured herself a cup and brought both mugs over to the table. Darcy sat across from Charlie and let her tea cool down slightly before sipping at it.

She scrunched her nose. "I've never really liked tea," she admitted, laughing to herself. "But it's all I've been drinking lately."

Charlie nodded, fingering the lip of the cup in his hands. "Where have you been?"

Darcy stared at him and smiled. Charlie knew she wasn't going to answer. "You'll never know," she replied dramatically.

Frowning, Charlie was growing frustrated. It was one thing that Darcy wasn't even telling her best friend where she had been, but she was acting like it was a complete joke. "Don't play games with me, Darcy."

Darcy's smile did not fade from her face. They stared at each other for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Don't pretend like you didn't see this coming," she told Charlie seriously. "If you were supposed to know – if I wanted you to know – I would have told you before I left. I would have come visited you to let you know, but I didn't. I wasn't about to tell you before leaving and I'm not about to tell you now. So let me ask _you_ a question now."

Charlie looked down at his cup of tea and drank it slowly.

"How did you find me? How did you know I was here?" she asked. "Bill told you, didn't he?"

Charlie shook his head. "It wasn't him. It wasn't anyone here." He paused. Darcy leaned in closer to him, ready to hear who told him. "I can't tell you that, either."

Darcy licked her lips. "I don't think you understand, Charlie," she answered. "_No one_ can know that I'm here. If someone finds out and tells more people that I've been spotted here, I could get everyone killed. Death Eaters are out looking for me and my brother and my friends everywhere right now. If they knew Bill and Fleur kept us here, they'd be dead. Do you understand me?"

He nodded slightly.

"So you _have_ to tell me," Darcy said, taking his hand from across the table. "Who told you, Charlie?"

"Tell me what's going on and I'll tell you who told me you were here."

A tear fell from the corner of Darcy's eye. "I swore not to tell!" she protested. "I'm protecting you right now, Charlie, okay?"

"Protecting me? Keeping me in the dark while my brother is off with you, endangering his life or whatever, is _not_ protecting me!"

Darcy groaned. "You don't understand!" she shouted again.

Charlie stood up, knocking his chair off its feet. Darcy remained calm, sipping at her watery tea and looking straight ahead, not meeting Charlie's eyes. "Then _help _me understand," he pleaded, placing his hands on the table. "I need to know what's going to happen to you and everyone else. I need to know what's going on."

There was a popping noise outside and Darcy grabbed her wand off the table, jumping to her feet and pointing it at the door. Charlie did the same, waiting for someone to walk through the door, unsure of whom. When no one entered, Darcy moved slyly towards the door and looked through the peephole.

"_Oh my God_!" she screeched and she whipped the door open. Charlie followed her outside, where Remus Lupin was convulsing in the sand, his shirt bloodstained, his luggage lying next to him. "He's been splinched – Charlie – go – get the bag – by the books you knocked over."

Lupin closed his eyes and Darcy wiped the blood that was bubbling from his mouth. He didn't seem to recognize that it was Darcy beside him and he certainly didn't realize that Charlie was with her. He twitched madly and Darcy's shaky hands reached in the 'bigger-on-the-inside' bag and pulled out a small bottle of dittany, the same stuff Hermione used on Ron.

Darcy waved her wand in the air above Lupin and it tore his shirt in half. She ripped it off his body and unstoppered the dittany, pouring it slowly over the large gash in Lupin's torso, near his diaphragm. There was a sizzling noise and Charlie watched as Darcy worked her healing magic. They both knew that Lupin was far too weak to be Apparating anywhere. Usually, he needed at least a full day's rest before moving after a full moon. Lupin closed his eyes and breathed heavily out of his mouth.

Lupin's injury seemed to be healing itself and Charlie was very impressed with Darcy's ability to work under a large amount of pressure. Although she looked frightened, she did an excellent job at keeping her cool. He crossed his arms and held the door open as Darcy stood and waved her wand in a figure eight movement. Lupin's body rose from the ground, floating next to Darcy and through the door. His arms and legs hung limp. She let Lupin down on the couch, fetched some bandages out of Hermione's bag and proceeded to wrap his torso up so the bleeding would stop.

"Bloody idiot," whispered Darcy when she finished taking care of Lupin's wound. "Stupid, bloody idiot. Charlie, can you get his suitcase from outside and bring it in, please?"

Charlie nodded and did as she told him. Darcy sat beside Lupin for a little while longer, stroking his hair and noticing all the extra scars and scratch marks he had returned with. Darcy would take care of those at a later time. Right then, she wanted Lupin to rest. Charlie brought Lupin's suitcase over to her and Darcy instructed him to put on the armchair across the room.

"Thank you," she breathed. She kept running her fingers through Lupin's hair, but he was not reacting. He was definitely out cold for the time being. "He's an idiot, you know. He was much too weak to be going anywhere."

Charlie sat down in a chair and watched as Darcy made sure Lupin was okay. She went back and forth, putting a cold washcloth on his head and cleaning up his scratches before he woke up. She was gentle with him, very gentle.

"Did he tell you?" Darcy breathed, meeting Charlie's eyes, her fingers still combing Lupin's hair. "He told you I was here, didn't he?"

Charlie shook his head quickly and cleared his throat. "No, it wasn't him."

"Then it was Tonks, wasn't it?" Darcy knew it had to be. Charlie didn't answer, knowing Darcy already knew that she had guessed correctly. Who else could it have been?

"She didn't want to, Darcy, believe me," he added quickly when she looked away. "I – I kind of forced it out of her. I shouted – I didn't mean to."

Darcy nodded slowly and pursed her lips. "Did she tell you anything else?"

"She didn't know anything else."

Darcy looked Lupin over again. So he hadn't caved. He hadn't told Tonks everything they were doing. He kept the secret. He had acknowledged he was now part of the group and he knew that he wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the mission. Darcy smiled weakly. "Charlie?" He hummed. "You can't tell anyone we were here."

"I – I won't. I swear. I promise."

"You could be seriously hurt," she told him sternly. "They would come after you if they knew you had some type of contact with me. They'd go after your family and Tonks. Charlie, you don't understand –"

"Do _you_ understand?" interrupted Charlie. Darcy's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him. "I don't think you understand how much danger _you're_ in. You're too busy worrying about everyone else being killed when you're five seconds away from death constantly."

"Look," Darcy said angrily, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. "I know what I'm dealing with. I understand that I could die at any given moment, but that doesn't mean I need other people dying because of me, too."

"We're trying to protect you!" Charlie retorted. "Dying is a risk we're all willing to take if it keeps you safe in the end!"

"You don't have to protect me!" Darcy scoffed. "Just don't! I'm out doing this because I'm trying to protect _you_! And your family! And the world! Just let me protect you, okay?"

"How come I can't help you?" sighed Charlie. "You let Remus. Why not me?"

Darcy frowned, unable to answer that. Well, she was. But how was she supposed to stand there and explain to Charlie that she was completely and utterly in love with Remus Lupin and couldn't live without him by her side? How was she supposed to make Charlie accept the fact that she chose Lupin over him? Instead of replying, she shrugged. "He's been here through the whole thing. Every year that I've been in mortal danger, Remus has been right by my side. He knows what may happen to me – or all of us, for that matter – and still insists on fighting."

Charlie's eyes flicked to Lupin, whose eyes were closed and who was now breathing normally and slowly. "You really love him, don't you?"

She hesitated and looked at the ground. "Yeah, I really do."

Charlie licked his lips and took that as his cue to leave. He walked up to Darcy and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and swallowed loudly. "I should go," he whispered and Darcy pursed her lips. "Maybe you shouldn't tell anyone I was here."

"Okay."

He touched her chin, lifting her head. Charlie pressed his lips chastely to Darcy's forehead and they lingered on her skin for longer than usual. He then rested his forehead against her's and Darcy saw tears in his blue eyes. "Be careful, Darcy," he said with a shaky voice. "Please come home to me soon."

Darcy could make no promises. "I'll try."

Charlie pulled away from Darcy and she grabbed his hands, kissing his cheek before he walked quickly to the front door, opened it and disappeared.

* * *

><p>Lupin woke up in extreme pain. He winced and looked down to his torso, which felt like it was on fire. He noticed that his shirt was missing and he was wrapped in a beige bandage. It was bloodstained, but still worked wonders. He ran a hand through his hair shakily and looked around, stopping when he saw the scene next to him.<p>

On the floor beside the couch was Darcy, lying in the sunlight being casted through the window. Her red hair was all over the place and he noticed that it was much longer than he thought it was. Darcy normally put her hair up because, while "on the road," she didn't shower much. She was very insecure of the fact her hair was dirty all the time, but Lupin didn't care. His wasn't much better. No one's was.

Lupin reached down, touching Darcy's warm hand and trying to shake her awake. She gasped, sitting up and hitting her head on the corner of the coffee table. Lupin felt her pain. She cried out and held a hand to her head, her eyes watery. She bit down on her lip and breathed out deeply, rubbing her head and noticing that Lupin was barely awake.

"You're awake," she muttered. "How are you feeling?"

"Er – did you do this?" he asked her, nodding to his torso.

Darcy flushed. "That? Yeah – you, uh – you splinched yourself, but Hermione had some left over dittany. Is it better? Does it hurt? I can change it if you want – " Darcy put a hand on his chest, about to take the bandage off and change it, but Lupin shook his head and she flushed a bright red, removing her hand.

"I'm fine. It's fine, Darcy." He smiled weakly and took her hand in his. "Thank you."

"I – I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She cleared her throat, but did not move away from Lupin. He glanced at her lips and Darcy certainly noticed. "You know – so we could – move on – but after you rest up, of course. I know how sick you get. I cleaned your scratches, by the way."

Lupin winked. "I can always count on you."

"I knew you'd come back," smiled Darcy. "I knew you would."

"I told you I would," breathed Lupin. "I wouldn't lie to you, you know."

"I know."

"Do you?"

Lupin smiled at her sincerely, taking in the beauty of her. The green eyes so much like his son's and the red hair so much like her mother's. "Yeah," she replied.

"Not a day went by when I didn't think about you." There was a pregnant pause and Darcy sighed contently. "And I've been thinking – I think a lot, lately – I understand that… have you thought…? What if we don't… you know, _win_?"

She was silent.

"I've accepted the possibility of that, Darcy. But I want to continue on with you because I'd rather… _die…_ with you," he stammered, struggling to finish his sentence. "Than live without you."

Darcy placed her hand on top of his. His hands were cold, freezing. It always happened after a transformation. Lupin's body temperature would drain, but he'd sweat like a pig. Darcy didn't mind the clammy hands. In fact, she loved them. They were calloused and worn out as if he had worked every single day of his life.

"I missed you." Lupin touched his lips to her hand, kissing her fingers. Darcy felt chills run up and down her spine as each kiss was electric.

"Do we kiss now?" asked Darcy hesitantly and Lupin smiled at her.

"Come here," he chuckled, pulling her gently towards him. As he leaned in slowly, asking permission with her eyes, Darcy heard the clunking of feet running down the staircase. She closed her eyes and pulled away, looking over her shoulder to see her brother standing in the doorway to the sitting room.

"Remus –" he stuttered. "You're back."

Lupin nodded at him, saluting Harry without saying a word.

"Um, I heard voices," Harry scratched the back of his head embarrassingly. "I didn't know who it was… But if you two are done and rested, we've got a plan we want to speak with you about. We're planning on carrying it out soon, if that's all right?"

Darcy nodded and stood up, helping Lupin to his feet. She wanted to move him to a bed so he could be comfortable, as the couch was nothing but an itchy, old rock. He limped, his arm around Darcy's shoulders and her arm around his waist, supporting him. He was much heavier than she and she struggled, but gladly helped him up the stairs with Harry making sure no one fell.

Harry led them to the bedroom he and Ron were sharing and before opening the door, he patted Lupin on the shoulder and grinned. "Glad to have you back."


	26. Annoyance and Selfishness

**ANNOYANCE AND SELFISHNESS.**

After the bedroom door was locked and after casting several spells to make sure no one could hear them, Darcy laid down on her temporary bed, trying to soak in the comfort that she would soon no longer have. Hermione grabbed her bag off the foot of the bed and Harry let Lupin lie down next to Darcy so he could continue resting. After everyone got settled down and squished together on the small bed, Hermione pulled out, what looked to be, an empty vial. Darcy raised an eyebrow as she reached out for it. Hermione handed it to the other girl and Darcy opened it, looking in.

"It's hair," she announced plainly.

Hermione took the vial back and stoppered it. "It's not just _hair_, Darcy," Hermione informed her. "It's Bellatrix Lestrange's hair."

Darcy looked extremely bored, not understand at all where she was going with this. She was quite disturbed that Hermione had been carrying a strand of Bellatrix's hair for who knows how long. Awkwardly, Darcy shifted and scratched the back of her head, making a note to take another shower soon. Harry, knowing that his sister was intelligent for her age, assumed she knew what the plan was, but after no one spoke for a few minutes, Harry began to doubt that she was putting all the pieces together.

Harry dug around in the bag for a few seconds and pulled out what he was looking for. A flask that when opened, smelled of manure and rotten cheese. Darcy held her nose and groaned. "No, no, no!" she cried, grabbing the flask from Harry and shutting it quickly, saving everyone from the putrid smell that now contaminated the fresh air in the room. "This isn't happening. This is a terrible idea. There's too many of us, you know that."

"_But_," Harry continued, taking the flask back from his sister. "With a few spells I know that _you_ know, we can morph everyone, too. That way if we don't have enough potion, we'll still have a backup plan. Plus, we'll have the Invisibility Cloak."

Darcy sighed and rubbed her temples, glancing at Lupin, who had the same dumbstruck look on his face as she did. "It won't work, Harry," she grumbled, looking him dead in the eyes. "There's too many people. Bellatrix Lestrange wouldn't be traveling with – what? – three other people. They wouldn't let us all into the vault."

"It's worth a shot," Harry snapped. "We'll never know if we don't try."

"I'm telling you right now," she retorted, rolling her eyes. "It won't work. Gringotts is highly protected and with so much security around Diagon Alley because of _us_, they're going to be very sketchy and very cautious when it comes to large groups."

"Then what plan do you have?" Harry began to raise his voice and Darcy frowned. "Because I'd _love_ to hear it! Go ahead – I'm listening – lay it on me."

Darcy mumbled something.

"What was that?" Harry asked angrily, holding his hand up to his ear. "I don't think I caught that."

"I don't have a plan!" screamed Darcy and everyone went silent. There was an awkward silence over the group of five and Ron wanted nothing to run from the room and swim as far away from them as possible. It was rare to witness a true shouting match between Harry and Darcy, but when people were around, it was horrible. Harry and Darcy did not think about everyone else listening. When they argued, it was just them.

"Exactly as I thought!" scoffed Harry, looking away from Darcy and to Hermione, whose head was down. She was swinging her legs back and forth as they dangled from the edge of the bed. Lupin coughed to break the silence, but no one paid any attention to him, so he closed his eyes and tried to block out the immature bickering. "At least we've been trying to think of a plan. And if you don't have one, then we're going to have to follow through with mine."

"_Our_ plan, actually –" Ron interrupted, but Harry shot him a nasty look.

Darcy was breathing heavily. She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm standing my ground. This plan will not work. If you think Griphook will actually help us, then you're mistaken. Goblins have never been particularly friendly creatures, I'll have you know. Griphook will cheat us. He's going to get us caught."

"He'll do nothing of the sort!" replied Harry. "Griphook gave us his word in exchange for the sword!"

Darcy threw her arms in the air. "You don't think things through, Harry!" she yelled. "Griphook will take the sword and run. And then what? Say we get into the vault – we _might_ have a Horcrux, but nothing to destroy it with. And if we don't get into the vault? Then we're down a possible Horcrux and the one thing we know can destroy it."

"Basilisk fangs can destroy Horcruxes – that's what gave the sword the ability to," Harry said slowly to Darcy as if she were a small child.

"I understand that," Darcy hissed. "You are more than welcome to hunt and kill a damn Basilisk. That's _all you_! And if you don't want to do that, then I have no idea where you think you're going to get a damn fang!" Her face was red with anger.

Harry hesitated and thought for a brief moment. Her argument was definitely rational. He had to admit, both of their plans had flaws. Well, his definitely did, but he wasn't about to admit defeat. He was going to press on and convince everyone that his plan was the only way.

"Quit being selfish, okay?" Darcy told Harry. "All five of us need to speak about a plan before acting upon it. We're together in this. It's not just you. It's not just you three. Remus and I are a part of this group, too, and we deserve to have some input!"

Harry was quiet. "Darcy, may I speak to you in the other room? Privately?"

Darcy rolled her eyes yet again and stood up off the bed, signaling to Lupin that she'd only be a minute or so. Lupin nodded and closed his eyes again, hoping to get some sleep in before Darcy blew up and was in a horrible mood for a few days. The last thing he wanted was Darcy to be in one of her bad moods. He needed her to take care of him for a few days. He relied on her.

Harry led Darcy into the room he had been staying in the past few days and shut the door. He did not lock it or cast any particular spells, but he spoke to her quietly and in a harsh tone. "How _dare_ you call me selfish?" he breathed. "You haven't done anything but stay by Remus's side like a puppy dog! If you want input in our plans, you and Remus need to consult us every once in a while! You haven't been up to speak with us for a while because you felt, for some odd reason, that you had to stay by Remus while he was sleeping! And you call me selfish?"

Darcy's jaw dropped slightly. "You're being very rude, Harry! I've been doing my best to take care of everyone around here, not just Remus! You don't understand – he's just been through a transformation! If you're agreeing to let him stay, then you have to understand that he needs slightly more attention than everyone else!"

"Then maybe he shouldn't stay," whispered Harry and Darcy pursed her lips in a very Aunt Petunia way. "Maybe it's too much to have him come along. It's a fifth person and he's got issues that will simply slow us down! Without Remus here, we could have left a while ago!"

"Don't blame this all on him!" Darcy said through her teeth. She clenched her fists by her sides and felt her temples throbbing. "None of this is his fault at all! He's doing our best to help us and I think we should keep him. He knows too much now."

Harry crossed his arms and sighed. "Why are you here right now, Darcy?" he asked quietly and Darcy stammered, fairly sure that she had just explained the answer to Harry a few days ago. She had lost track of time completely. "It's quite obvious that you're absolutely infatuated with Remus. With him here, it's just a distraction for you. And we look to you as a leader! We don't need this, Darcy."

"It's not infatuation!" protested Darcy, realizing her voice had become louder. She lowered it again and listened carefully to make sure no one was eavesdropping. When she was certain no one was at the door, she continued. "I do love him, Harry. I absolutely do."

"Then go," Harry said in an icy tone. He briefly reminded Darcy of Snape, but she shook the thought out of her head. "Go home, then. If you want to be with him so badly, then leave. We can carry on without you two. We'll be just fine."

Darcy felt her heart sink. Is that what Harry wanted? Did he not want her there? "H – Harry," sighed Darcy, her bottom lip quivering. "I'm not going to leave you. You think I'd pick Remus over you? I would never do that… I never have!"

"Ever since we left Hogwarts, you've become this obsessive person," Harry ruffled his hair. "You're obsessed with finding these Horcrux – a little too much. You won't even consider thinking about the Deathly Hallows! And now that Remus is here, you're obsessed with him. I need you to be focused on this mission and nothing else."

Darcy closed her eyes, knowing that she had been awfully distracted at Shell Cottage. Lupin had taken up most of her time. She constantly wanted to be by his side and now that she thought about it, she realized how annoying she must have been hanging off his arm the entire time. She wondered if Lupin had tried to escape her, but merely failed because she tracked him down no matter what. Harry was absolutely right.

"I thought that allowing Remus to stay would be good for you," Harry continued, beginning to pace about the room. His shoes were loud on the wooden floor, but not loud enough for anyone to notice. He turned on his heels and walked faster, gripping his hair, obviously frustrated. "I thought it might motivate you, but he's just been slowing us down. He's been slowing _you_ down."

"Well, I don't want him to go," Darcy said suddenly and Harry stopped, looking at her. "I want him to stay. He said he'd stay."

"Darcy –"

"He's trying, Harry! He's trying the best he can. We just stopped at a bad time. It won't always be like this!"

"I know he's trying and I know it's not his fault he's – he's a – well…"

Darcy gave Harry the saddest look he had ever seen. She was genuine about it, too. Her eyes were big and wide, watery and dull. She bit down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. Darcy looked away and grabbed the doorknob, preparing to turn it. She paused for a moment, trying to calm herself down before exiting the room. "You can't blame something he can't control," she told Harry. "That's what people have been doing his entire life."

"I'm sorry," Harry answered quickly. "I know."

"We can leave the day after tomorrow. That morning." Harry raised his eyebrows. "Remus just needs one more day to rest and then we'll move."

"You're okay with the plan?"

Darcy turned around and put her hands on her hips, finally caving in. "Yes," she shrugged. "We have no other options. We need to get out of here before word gets out this is where we've been staying."

Harry nodded shortly and the two left the room, explaining to the rest of their friends to be packed and ready, for they were going to be on the run for quite a while yet again.

* * *

><p>That night, for the first time during their stay at Shell Cottage, rain poured from the skies. The sky got dark early, but Darcy had no sense of time. She just knew that she could not walk outside without feeling like she was taking a shower. She stayed in bed all day with the window propped open, reading a book and drinking hot cocoa that Bill had made, enjoying the calming rain falling outside.<p>

Everyone was taking time for themselves. Harry had been sleeping all day, trying to rest up before going without sleep for a while. Ron alternated from the kitchen and his bedroom, eating most of the food in the house. It had been so long since the four had had regular food. Not fish or plants or berries. Hermione had been reading in the living room and Lupin had been dozing on an armchair with his feet on the table. He snored lightly, but Hermione was able to tune it out.

They all had grown tired and irritated. Any little thing set them all off. They had spent too much time crammed together. After so long, you got tired of being around the same people. Darcy wished that she could wake up next to new people some days. She wished she was at the Burrow and Charlie was pounding at her door, telling her to get up for breakfast. She wished she was at Hogwarts, student teaching potions. She wished she was anywhere but at Shell Cottage, planning to break into the most famous Wizarding bank in the world.

When the sky was completely black and stars were out, the rain still had not slowed down. Darcy closed her book and sighed, standing up and walking out of her room for the third time that entire day. She brought her mug with her, to refill it with water. She was getting tired of drinking hot cocoa. It made her tired. And that was the last thing she needed. Darcy needed all the energy she could get, which meant she would probably have to go to sleep soon, too.

Once Darcy entered the kitchen quietly, so she wouldn't wake Lupin, she filled up the mug with cold water and drank it quickly, ready to head to bed. To kill time, she took the magic sponge that normally washed dishes by itself, and she rinsed out the mug, squirting soap in it and washing it manually. She jumped when she felt hands touch her waist softly.

Darcy turned her head and saw Lupin's face next to her head, pale and sweaty. She paid hardly any attention to him at all, not wanting to bother him. Lupin let her go and grabbed a glass of his own, filling it with water and drinking it all very quickly.

"Going to bed?" he asked her, wiping his mouth with his sleeve like an unmannered boy. Darcy scrunched her nose, but held her tongue, knowing she probably did the same thing every once in a while.

"What time is it?"

Darcy looked past Lupin, seeing that Hermione was still very focused on her book in the sitting room. "Nearly ten."

She looked at Lupin again and nodded curtly. "Most likely, then." Darcy walked off, leaving Lupin in the kitchen. He watched her move and noticed that she didn't have curvy hips that wiggled when she walked. He tilted his head, staring at her until she turned around and caught him. She smiled weakly. "Aren't you coming?"

Lupin followed her as fast as he could up the stairs and into the back bedroom. It smelled of rain and nature and the ocean and Lupin had never walked into a more comfortable and cozy room. He could have stayed in there forever with Darcy, sleeping next to her and hearing the pouring rain. He laid down without speaking and got warm underneath the large blankets. Noticing the book on the bedside table beside him, he picked it up and flipped through the pages.

"It's a Muggle book," Darcy told him softly, stretching and then closing the windows slightly. "I took it from my Aunt Petunia when I was only sixteen."

"What's it about?"

"It's a real story," Darcy explained to him, getting into bed beside Lupin and taking the book from his hands, looking at the front cover. "About a girl in the 1940's and prejudice and mass genocide."

Lupin raised an eyebrow.

"She was fifteen when this was published and fifteen when she died." Lupin's eyes widened, eagerly taking in the information Darcy was feeding him. "In Germany – you know about the Holocaust, right? You grew up in a half-Muggle household."

"I've heard of it," he stated plainly and Darcy grinned, knowing that he knew exactly what the Holocaust was.

"Well, she was in hiding for a while. I think you should read it. I really enjoy the parts where she talks about all the goodness in people. In everybody, really."

"Do you agree?" asked Lupin and Darcy's eyebrows furrowed.

"Agree with what?"

"That there's goodness in everybody?"

"Well, I think that's a bit of an unfair question," Darcy shrugged, thinking hard. "For example, You-Know-Who has no goodness in him whatsoever. But his soul is so far gone and destroyed that it'd be impossible, I think. But here's the thing. To him – to You-Know-Who himself – he thinks he's a good person. He thinks he's actually doing the right thing."

"Why do I feel as if you're defending You-Know-Who right now?" Lupin said, a bit sketched out by Darcy's monologue.

"I'm not defending his actions whatsoever," Darcy replied quickly. "I'm just saying – how do you define goodness? Do you define it morally – like what is socially acceptable? Or do you define it as a personal feeling… like do you truly believe what you're doing is right? It's a very grey area, in my opinion. The goodness in You-Know-Who may be the extreme love he has for his snake."

"I don't think that's quite how it works," Lupin argued calmly. "You-Know-Who may very well be an exception in this case."

"Well, excluding You-Know-Who, then yes. I do believe there is goodness in everyone."

"Even Bellatrix?"

Darcy hesitated. "Somewhere in her black hole of a heart, she must care for something. A person or something. I don't really know, honestly. It doesn't give me much reassurance that a fifteen year old Muggle has it all figured out and I don't at this age."

"You've been exposed to much more evil than she has, I think." Lupin pulled his wand from his pocket and waved it around a few times, causing all the candles to go out around the room. He took the book from Darcy and put it back on the table beside him. "And that makes all the difference."

Darcy stared at Lupin, unconsciously smiling. "You don't believe it, do you?"

Lupin chuckled. "No," he told her slowly. "I don't."

"I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree, then?" Darcy asked and Lupin shrugged. "I think if you read the book, your point of view on the human race would change. There are some amazing people out there if you really look."

"On the contrary, I think that good things come to you. You don't have to look for them."

"So you're telling me that if I want good things to happen to me, I have to sit back and wait?"

Lupin laughed, defeated. "We'll figure out how to achieve total happiness when we get ourselves out of this situation. How does that sound?"

"Excellent," said Darcy, lying back on the back and looking up at the dark ceiling. "That sounds wonderful." After a few seconds of silence, she bit her lip. "What do you think of Harry's plan?" She propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at Lupin, whose eyes shot open instantly.

"I didn't expect much from a seventeen-year-old boy, to be frank," Lupin sighed. "But I suppose it's the only plan we've got at the moment. If we have even the slight opportunity to find a Horcrux, I think we should take it, no matter how ridiculous the plan may seem."

Lupin closed his eyes again as Darcy thought. "Do you think it'll work, though?"

"I can't say."

"Hey," smiled Darcy. "I think when all of this is said and done, we should go back to Hogwarts. To stay there for a little, you know? I mean, I just feel like Hogwarts is where I was raised and it's home to me… Maybe we could stay for a year while I'm teaching or something."

"And what of Teddy?"

Darcy pursed her lips. "Oh." She was sure Lupin was trying to fall asleep. "Right, I forgot. It's weird not yet being able to see him."

"Mm."

She felt like she was being annoying again, but she wished he would talk more. She enjoyed the intelligent conversations he could strike up with her in a moment, testing her mental capability and seeing if she could actually think – which she could. That's one of the things Lupin liked about her was her ability to stand her ground when it came to an opinion of her's.

Darcy rolled over with her back facing Lupin and she heard him shift behind her. She closed her eyes and felt his lips press gently against her cheek and then pull away. "Good night, Darcy. Thank you for taking care of me."

She said nothing, but pretended to be asleep.


	27. The Early Riser

Hi, guys. I know I've finally updated! I'd really like to know what you guys think of my interpretations of J.K.'s characters, as well as my own original character. Even if you don't like any of my characters, I'd still love for you to let me know, because I'm really trying to become a better writer! I haven't been writing for a while since I'm so preoccupied with school and other things, but I promise that I _will_ finish this story. Thank you and enjoy (: xx

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><p><strong>THE EARLY RISER.<strong>

Darcy was awake around four in the morning. She crept out of bed without waking Lupin. He slept peacefully, his back to her. She made up her side of the bed, grabbed her wand, and went downstairs, where it was pitch black and silent. She lit up the kitchen and stepped up to the screen front door.

The rain had stopped a while ago, but a light layer of fog covered the beach. The clouds moved quickly, hiding the small moon from view. Darcy figured it would be cold outside. As soon as the sun set, all warmth disappeared. She turned around and made her way to the laundry room, where stacks of clothes were piled everywhere. Darcy's pile was the only one still sitting there. She hadn't packed her clothes yet. Everyone else did early the day before.

She brought her small amount of clothes to the kitchen, where she quietly made herself breakfast. Scrambled eggs and a glass of orange juice. It was a feast for her and she ate quite a few eggs, filling herself so she could go for a long period of time without eating again. She drank two glasses of orange juice until her the eggs started fighting back against her. She pushed her plate away, waved her wand, and it floated over to the sink.

Solemnly, she got rid of the lights in the kitchen and went back upstairs to her bedroom, placing the pile of clothes on the foot of the bed, remembering to pack them when Hermione woke up. As time ticked as slowly as possible, she sighed and made her way to the shower, where she was planning on taking an hour long shower, wanting to engrave the moment in her head.

As soon as she stepped into the shower, Lupin heard the water hitting the tiles. The bathroom was right next to the room he was sleeping in. He held out his arm, but did not feel Darcy beside him.

He looked over to the empty and made up side of the bed, wondering how long he could keep this up. Physically, he might not be able to do everything Darcy was okay doing. While they camped out for weeks and months and lived only on berries, he was in no condition to do that. He could bring to the table all the information he kept inside his brain about surviving. He could teach them spells to protect themselves, but other than that, he could do nothing but follow them like a lost dog and delay them a few days once a month.

Lupin could obviously see the change in everyone's personality. The amount of time they had spent together was far too much and Lupin was terrified that he would have to constantly live with Darcy's tantrums and Harry's attitude. They were merely children and no matter how mature they were in some situations, they still acted like kids. They fought and bickered and snapped at each other. Lupin rubbed his temples. He didn't know if he could handle being around people like that for however long.

He felt horrible thinking about his other options. He had a wonderful wife and baby waiting at home for him with a comfortable bed and a roof over their heads. His heart slowed when he even considered leaving Darcy again. He didn't want to say he was only there because he felt obligated, but that was part of the reason he was there in the first place. Lupin felt he owed it to Darcy to be with her during these dangerous times simply because he had always run from her when things got too serious.

As thoughts whirred through his brain, the door to the bedroom opened and Darcy was standing in it, looking tired as ever. She saw that Lupin was awake, but could not care less that she was in a towel, dripping wet. She tracked water over the wooden floors as she walked to her clean pile of clothes and put a pair of jeans on with a t-shirt. Lupin watched her ring out her hair with a towel, completely quiet.

"Are you okay?" Lupin whispered.

Darcy took a few seconds to reply. "I'm just tired."

"Why are you up so early?"

"Trying to enjoy the luxuries of having a temporary home, I guess." She didn't even glance at Lupin, she just stared out of the cracked window into the darkness. Lupin blinked a few times, unable to tell what was really wrong with Darcy. For once, he could not, for the life of him, figure her out and it bothered him to no end.

"Is there something you need to talk about?" Lupin inquired, sitting up and running a hand through his messy and uncombed hair. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Darcy smiled quickly, but it soon vanished from her face. "Some things are better left unsaid."

"Are you nervous about leaving today?"

"I've gotten quite used to moving around often," she answered calmly. "I'm not as nervous as I used to be."

Lupin's mouth dropped slightly, not sure where this attitude was coming from. She certainly had never displayed such behavior in front of him before. She was usually such an outspoken person, very open about her feelings. Keeping so much in was not like her at all. But then again, it did not take a genius to understand her problems. They were obvious. She was on the run and had to deal with three younger friends for months on end.

Finally, Darcy sighed and Lupin knew she was about to tell him what was bothering her. He knew she couldn't keep it in for too long without having to explain herself to at least one person. "I honestly thought things were going to be different with you around," she admitted, not looking at him again. She was too nervous telling him everything and could not keep eye contact if she tried. "I thought it would be great to have you here helping me, but that is not the case whatsoever. I am so distracted by you. I want to be able to care for you all the time, but I forget that there are others here when I try to do so."

Lupin was ultimately confused, unsure where she was going with this. His heart was fluttering, scared that she would start yelling at him and telling him everything he had done wrong in the short days they had been together. "I don't understand," he shook his head. "You think I'm trying to hold you back?"

"No, I don't think you're doing any of this intentionally," she told him quickly. "None of this is your fault, it's all mine, because I – well, I care deeply for you, still. And I think I always will."

He was silent. Lupin took in a deep breath and held it, letting it out slowly.

"And I know what I am doing right now," she cleared her throat, pausing for a moment. "The world depends on me and my brother. I feel like when I mixed love and feelings with the mission, I let the world down. I am no longer focusing all my attention on defeating You-Know-Who, but also focusing my attention on how to carry on while not putting you into all this danger that I willingly am putting myself into."

"Darcy, I don't mind –"

"The four of us agreed to stick together through all of this," Darcy snapped. "And we have for seven years. We know and understand the risks we are taking, but you don't need to be involved in this. Remus, do you even want to be here?"

That was the hardest question for Lupin to answer. If he said 'yes,' that wouldn't make sense. Darcy knew that no one would actually want to be in her position chasing after Voldemort and his army, almost positive that she was going to die in the end. But if he said 'no,' then that would hurt Darcy more than anything after admitting her feelings to him. When he didn't answer for a minute or so, Darcy turned on her heels and looked at Lupin's face with a frown.

Finally, he opened his mouth. "I want to be here with you," he shrugged.

"But you have other options," protested Darcy. "You have a home and a family you can go back to. I don't have any of that. I have nowhere to go but here. I'm not here by choice, but I know that if I did have a choice, I most likely would not be here."

Lupin was starting to believe Darcy was sleep talking. She was hardly being rational. All her thoughts were strung together horribly, as if she was just spewing everything out that crossed her brain. "What are you getting at?" he asked.

"Save yourself and go home," she said blandly. "Go before everyone wakes up and tries to stop you."

"Save myself?" he chuckled nervously. "I'll be safe here."

Darcy scoffed. "Remus, you know that we'll probably be dead in a few weeks, right?"

Lupin's lips trembled and he stumbled on his words, coughing as he choked on his spit. It was the most terrifying thing he had ever heard Darcy say. She was accepting death so calmly, which was highly unusual. It took her a long time to finally accept Sirius's death and Dumbledore's. Death was a touchy subject for Darcy and there she was, telling him they wouldn't make it.

"It's inevitable. You-Know-Who has got an army looking for us all, tracking where we've been and how we've traveled. I'm surprised they haven't shown up on the doorstep," Darcy crossed her arms and Lupin's eyes widened at her lack of emotion. She stared at him. "Leave it to us, Remus. We don't need more people dying than need be. I think you should just go home and forget all about this."

"I'm not just going to _forget_ about this," Lupin said. "How am I just supposed to go home and live with the fact I just left you when you needed me most?"

Lupin stood up and met Darcy's eyes. He tensed up and pushed his chest out, trying to make himself seem more powerful than he was, but Darcy could see right through him. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I never asked for help from you," she reminded him, making his ego deflate slightly. "You assumed that I needed help and you came looking for me. I told you several times before leaving that you couldn't come along."

"What if I want to do good for the Wizarding world, hm?" Lupin raised his eyebrows. "What if I want to contribute, too? I don't think Dumbledore would have a problem with more people joining the fight against You-Know-Who."

"You're just going to end up getting yourself killed," muttered Darcy. "Once a month, you're at your weakest, and what happens if they decide to attack then? What if that's part of their strategy? Have you thought nothing about that?"

Lupin had pushed the thought to the back of his mind, not wanting to think that he was hurting the group by having a terrible disorder. "If you don't want me to go with you, then just say so."

Her response was quick. "I don't want you to come with us."

Lupin was hurt. He nodded and inhaled loudly through his nose, grabbing at his hair and pursing his lips. "Well, if that's really how you feel, then. I suppose I'll pack my stuff and be out by sunrise."

"I think that would be best."

Lupin licked his lips. He lowered his voice and got closer to Darcy, sneering at her. She kept her cool, not moving a muscle in her face, but keeping eye contact with him the entire time. "I'm sorry I delayed you and your friends. I'm sorry I ruined your chance to save the world."

Darcy gritted her teeth. "Get out."

"You're right – four children don't have a chance against You-Know-Who," Lupin snarled at her, the wolf slowly taking over his tired body. His tone was like venom, but Darcy paid no attention to it and did not take it to heart. She knew that he was moody before and after a full moon and was quite used to it. "You need all the help you can get, so why can't you just accept it? You may be an adult, but that doesn't mean you have to handle everything by yourself."

Darcy was quiet, waiting for him to leave the room, but he stood completely still and had much more to say to her.

"I came back for you. I searched for you constantly, hoping that when I found you, you'd welcome me into the group with open arms. But I see that isn't the case. I assumed you would want me here. I have loved you and took care of you and comforted you, but I suppose you've now become an emotionless brat who is more concerned with putting me in my place than actually listening to how I feel sometimes. You know I have feelings, don't you?"

"Tell me then," she snorted. "How do you feel?"

"Guilty for leaving my wife for a girl who doesn't want me here," he began. "Stupid for coming back to you, hurt because I'm being told to leave by the one person who I thought would want me to stay, and extremely, extremely sorry for doing nothing but care about and love you."

"Tell me one thing," Darcy breathed, her breath shaking.

Lupin hummed a response.

"If you leave now," she whispered, swallowing the large lump in her throat. "If you go home to Tonks and Teddy and fall asleep in bed next to her for the night – when you wake up in the morning, will you still think of me?"

He was silent. "I always think of you." Then he added, "That's why I looked for you."

Darcy opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off. Lupin touched her cheek and leaned in, kissing her full on the mouth. She put her hands on his shoulders, meaning to push him away, but wouldn't budge and she gave in, kissing him back with full force. It had been so long since they kissed like that, with passion and lust and love. It was nice to be receiving such affection, and to Darcy, she never wanted it to end. While he kissed her, it was like they were the only two in the world that mattered.

Lupin's lips moved to her neck and she closed her eyes and whispered in his ear, "Stay."

Walking her slowly to the bed, she fell back on it, his lips capturing her's in a bruising kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair and felt the sharp stubble on his face. She could feel his muscles shaking as he attempted to hold himself above her while withstanding his aching body.

Darcy's fingers slipped up his shirt and he jumped slightly feeling cold hands on his skin. It had been a while since she touched him and all the blood from his head rushed down towards his waist. He flushed a deep red and felt Darcy smile weakly against his lips.

"Wait, wait, wait," he said quietly, breathing heavy. Darcy stopped what she was doing and looked up at him with wide, doe eyes.

"What?"

Lupin didn't answer, but tucked a wet strand of red hair behind Darcy's ear. She blinked, waiting for him to speak, but there was nothing to say. "You look better."

Darcy chuckled. "Better?"

"Healthier."

She nodded. "Bill has been force feeding me. I hope I've gained a good amount of weight."

"I'm glad."

Lupin nodded again and Darcy laughed, wrapping her arms around Lupin's neck and pulling him in for another kiss.

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><p>The bedroom door opened at 7:30 in the morning sharp. Darcy heard it and covered her naked body with a sheet, wrapping it around her and sitting up. Lupin, who was barely covered with the blanket, did the same and turned bright red when he saw Harry standing in the doorway, his eyebrows raised and his cheeks a little pink.<p>

"So that's how you celebrate our last day here, hm?" Harry teased, not looking anywhere but his sister's eyes. "By defiling the bed Bill and Fleur were so kind to let you sleep in?"

"Go away," Darcy grumbled, covering her face with her hand.

"We're leaving in half an hour. Get your clothes packed and meet us outside by Dobby's grave at eight." Harry closed the door quietly and ran down the hallway and down the stairs. Darcy let out a loud 'ha!' and dropped the sheet, revealing her nude torso. Lupin smiled at her and glanced quickly at her body. She was much skinnier than Tonks, but it was still unhealthy. Lupin didn't say anything, not wanting to make her feel self conscious about what she couldn't control.

When Darcy turned her head towards the window and stretched, Lupin noticed the lovebites on her neck she hadn't seen yet. He smirked to himself, but was half disgusted after realizing how animalistic it was to bite her like that. He shivered.

She stood up and began to get dressed. Her face suddenly turned hard and serious and it looked as if she aged a good ten years right before Lupin's eyes. As she sat down on the bed to put socks on, Lupin still had not moved from his position on the bed. "Are you sure?" Darcy asked him, looking at Lupin from the corner of her eye.

He breathed in and sighed. "Yes, I'm positive."

Her heart was beginning to race. She was extremely nervous for their next mission. Robbing Gringotts was nearly impossible – was there any chance that it was possible? Darcy did not know the details of Harry's plan, but only hoped that he had thought it through rationally. She hoped the three of them knew exactly what was to happen. Then again, how different would it be from breaking into the Ministry? They had accomplished that with Polyjuice Potion, but getting out was horrible. They needed to make this trip as quick as possible.

When Darcy packed the rest of her clothes into Hermione's bag, she made up the bed one more time and stood in the doorway of the bedroom, admiring the comfortable atmosphere she enjoyed so much. Lupin was next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed her back to reassure her.

The time was 7:52 a.m. when Darcy and Lupin hiked their way up to Dobby's grave. Darcy jumped when she saw first who was standing by the tombstone. Hermione had already transformed and was standing as Bellatrix Lestrange. The look on her face was much different. Darcy had never seen a look of fear or awkwardness on the real Bellatrix's face, only one of anger and pure evil. Still, Darcy was frightened. After what had happened at the Malfoy Manor, just thinking of Bellatrix's name made her shoulder sting. Darcy handed Hermione her bag and she quickly put it away in one of her pockets. Harry was holding the Invisibility Cloak and Ron was standing in large, black robes that were two times too big for his lanky figure. Griphook was standing in between Harry and Ron, looking at the bag Hermione had placed in her pocket. Darcy assumed the sword was tucked away in there, out of sight.

"This is the plan," Harry said quickly, knowing that they had to leave soon before Bill, the early riser of the family, woke up. "Bill and Fleur don't know we've left and don't know what our plan is. Hermione has already transformed and we don't know how much time we've got left until she changes back. We're going to use a spell on Ron to change his appearance. Hermione…?"

"Oh." It was surprising to hear Hermione's innocent voice coming from Bellatrix's mouth. Darcy was not going to get used to this at all. She looked at Lupin and noticed from his facial expression, he was probably thinking the same thing. After a few moments, Ron's hair had grown down to his nose, but he swept it out of his eyes. He had absolutely no freckles and his long nose had shrunk. With the thick beard, he looked quite unlike himself. "Meet Dragomir Despard. One of You-Know-Who's foreign followers. He speaks little English."

"Excellent," Harry said to himself. "Griphook and I will be underneath the Invisibility Cloak. "Darcy, Hermione will make you look different and then Remus, you'll be watching her back – invisible, of course."

So Hermione, as Bellatrix, worked her magic on them both. Lupin disappeared first and Darcy held her hand out for him so she would know where he went. She felt the warmth of his flesh against her's and felt her body tingle as Hermione changed her hair color to a dirty blonde and she felt her nose get wider and her body lengthen. "You're not to speak, Darcy," Hermione explained to her carefully. "You speak no English, okay?"

"How do I look?" Darcy asked when Hermione finished, looking at the general area where Lupin was standing.

"Hm." He thought. "I like the old you better."

Harry lifted Griphook on his shoulders and put the Cloak over the two of them. Hermione straightened up and held out her wand. Darcy noticed that is was black, not Hermione's original wand. It wasn't until a few seconds later that Darcy recognized the thin wand. It was Bellatrix's. She assumed they stole it from her at the Malfoy Manor.

With Lupin on her left and Ron on her right, Darcy grabbed Hermione's hand and prepared to Disapparate. She took one long last look at Shell Cottage over her shoulder and everyone did the same without realizing it. Darcy looked back, ready to leave, and the last thing she saw before disappearing completely off the beach was a light in one of the bedroom windows flicker on.

The day was beginning for everybody.


	28. Gringotts

**GRINGOTTS.**

Darcy felt her feet hit hard pavement and she opened her eyes, her grip on Lupin's hand tight as ever. She took a quick look around and noticed they were now standing in the midst of Diagon Alley, shielded behind a moldy, brick wall. It was strange not being able to see her friends, but instead a disfigured Ron and Bellatrix. Hermione was brushing herself off, trying her hardest to stand up tall and recreate the aura given off by the real Bellatrix. While she still looked slightly intimidating, there was no way Hermione could personify the evil Bellatrix.

Ron looked to Darcy and gave her a slight nod, silently asking if she was ready. Darcy licked her lips and squeezed Lupin's hand, finally letting go and straightening herself. As the group made their way into the streets of Diagon Alley, Darcy took note that hardly anyone was there. Either they had all been scared off or it was far too early for wizards and witches to be doing their shopping. Posters of Darcy and Harry littered the windows of all the run-down shops, but she ignored them, knowing very well that she couldn't afford an emotional slip-up.

They all knew that this was a horrible idea. The last time they had broken into an official building, they were almost caught and killed. Darcy knew that goblins weren't stupid and if they looked hard enough, they would be able to see past the disguises that she and Ron wore. Her heart rate sped up quickly as they neared Gringotts and the few people who were loitering backed down, creating a path as Bellatrix walked confidently towards the prestigious bank.

Only yards away from the entrance, someone shouted a name and Darcy's heart sank. She felt Lupin's hand on the small of her back and everyone turned around. "Madam Lestrange!" the voice shouted again and Darcy saw the small figure of a middle-aged man running towards them, his Death Eater robes billowing behind him.

"What do you want, Travers?" Hermione asked, trying her hardest to seem impatient and Bellatrix-like. It was working for the most part because Travers widened his eyes. Darcy glanced sideways at Hermione and wondered how she knew his name, but then remembered Harry and Griphook must have been whispering in her ear, invisible to the Death Eater.

"Just sought to greet you, ma'am," Travers replied, slightly offended. Ron and Darcy stared him down , their hands behind their backs. With Lupin's hand now on her arm, Darcy was less fearful. Travers looked conspicuously at Darcy, looked her up and down, then moved on to Ron, observing his features carefully. "Who are your friends, if I may ask?"

"Death Eaters from Romania," Hermione answered coolly. "They speak little to no English and they have been following me all morning. Irritating, but anything for the Dark Lord."

"How do you do?" Travers nodded curtly at the two of them and Darcy bowed her head while Ron grunted. "Where are you headed so early this morning?"

"Gringotts," Hermione answered flatly.

Travers grinned and showed off his crooked and yellowing teeth. "Let me join you, then, madam," he offered politely. "Shall we?"

Hermione didn't lose her head, but simply began to walk towards Gringotts beside Travers, Darcy and Ron trailing in the back. Everyone was silent, their hearts thumping frantically against their chests and trying to determine what their next move was. Travers was certainly an unwelcome obstacle, but they couldn't let him get in the way. As long as Hermione played it cool, everything would be fine. Everyone was rooting for Hermione, for their fate rested on her shoulders.

What surprised and threw Darcy off the most were the two wizards at the entrance of Gringotts, holding long, thin golden probes, wearing stern and serious faces. Travers scoffed quietly and stepped forward first and the wizards raised their probes and lowered them slowly. The Death Eater stepped inside and as Hermione reached the top of the stairs, she hissed, "But you've just done that!"

Travers spun around and glared angrily at the wizards, who seemed awfully confused. Hermione continued through the large entrance; Darcy and Ron quickly followed suit and left the wizards to themselves, silently wondering what had just happened. Darcy, confused as ever, paid no attention to it, for all her focus needed to be on getting in the vault safely and without being caught.

Darcy followed Hermione up to the high counter, where goblins sat to help the customers. She briefly remembered being here for the first time in her life and it had seemed so wonderful then, but nothing spectacular now. Of course, it was one of the last standing buildings in Diagon Alley, but Darcy didn't care. She only cared about what was in Bellatrix's vault and was afraid that people were going to start taking notice that the woman standing before the counter was not Bellatrix.

Hermione cleared her throat. "I wish to enter my vault."

The goblin peered down at her, Darcy, and Ron, studying them through his small, rectangular glasses that sat on the tip of his pointed nose. Travers stood off to the side, watching the interaction and several other goblins were now eavesdropping on the conversation. "Identification?" asked the goblin and Darcy blinked a few times, catching her breath.

"I'm sorry?" snapped Hermione, crossing her arms and snarling.

"Your wand, Madam Lestrange." The goblin held out his hand with a dreadful smile. Darcy and Ron exchanged quick glances as they both realized they were about to be caught and killed. This was it and if Hermione didn't think fast, they would be dead in seconds.

The goblin reached down and took the wand from Hermione's hand. He smiled as he examined it and muttered, "You have had a new wand made, madam?"

Darcy stared at Hermione, who looked utterly lost. "I - no! That's mine!"

Travers stalked up to the counter, taking a loving look at the wand in the goblin's hands. "You have a new wand?" he asked incredulously. "But which wandmaker did you use?"

Hermione was at a loss for words and looked like she was about to start crying, but it didn't last for long. Travers grinned sincerely at the wand and then turned to Hermione.

"It's very handsome," he told her. "I'm sure that you have taken some time to break it in? I think all wands need broken in!"

Darcy's mouth dropped slightly, looking at the goblin and then Travers, wondering what the bloody hell was happening. Everything was falling so well into place, even after they should have been caught. She felt Lupin's hot breath by her ear and she listened carefully as he whispered, "Imperious Curse."

The goblin walked away from the counter for a few seconds and returned with a bag that jangling when he shook it. "Follow me, Madam Lestrange..." he said, oddly happy, and the group walked behind the goblin, towards the hallway doors. Darcy wanted to smile and jump and cheer, but she knew they had not completely made it yet. As the entered the long hallway, Travers followed them, his face blank and empty, but Darcy ignored it, knowing that he had been cursed.

The hallway became darker and Darcy was now holding Lupin's hand, their fingers intertwined. Lit torches lined the walls and they were getting so close - so incredibly close... The large door slammed behind them, hiding them from the other goblins' view. Harry threw the Invisibility Cloak off and Griphook hopped down from his shoulders. Lupin was still invisible, but Darcy knew exactly where he was. The cursed Travers and goblin paid no attention.

"If we want to all fit in the cart," Griphook began. "Get rid of the Death Eater."

Harry flicked his wand and Travers stopped, watching as the rest of the group carried on without him. The Death Eater walked suddenly away and Darcy could hear the loud voices of goblins from the main hall. She knew that they were suspicious and knew they were imposters. As the goblin summoned a cart, everyone piled in, quite cramped. Ron accidentally sat on Lupin, who was invisible and Ron blushed, apologizing profusely, settling in between Hermione and Darcy. Griphook clambered towards the front of the cart, keeping a close eye on the goblin steering.

Darcy was nervous, her leg bouncing as the cart descending further and further into the vaults. She had no idea what to expect, if there was a guardian for the vault, or if someone was down there waiting for them. The only thing that kept her somewhat calm was Lupin, who kept a hand around her shoulders, trying to keep her still.

The sound of water brought Darcy back to reality. The cart was headed straight for a waterfall and Darcy held her breath. Griphook shouted and Ron shielded his head. The sound of the water was deafening and they raced through it. Darcy thought she was going to drown, but before she could think again, she was thrown from the cart and was now falling fast towards the hard rock below. She closed her eyes and Hermione yelled something she could not hear and Darcy was rather surprised she couldn't feel an impact. They had all landed safely and comfortably on the ground.

As Darcy pushed herself up to her feet, soaking wet, she looked in horror at her friends. Lupin was now visible, ringing out his shirt and shaking his head. Ron was back to normal, his freckled face red, with a tinge of green. But Hermione was no longer Bellatrix. She was herself again, an awkward and bushy haired girl in over sized robes that did not fit her whatsoever. Darcy's breathing was beginning to quicken.

"Thief's Downfall," Lupin spluttered, spitting water from his mouth and nearly choking.

"He's right," Griphook hissed. "They know there are imposters here!"

The other goblin stood up and shook his head, disoriented. He pointed a startled finger at Harry, but Harry was quick and raised his wand. "_Imperio_!" He shouted and the goblin relaxed again, smiling a small smile and swaying on his feet.

"There's people coming," Ron said hurriedly. "How do we get there?"

"On foot," Griphook answered, glancing back up towards the waterfall. "Darcy Potter, grab the bag, let's go."

Darcy did as she was told and picked up the leather bag the cursed goblin had dropped. It was heavier than she expected it to be and full of metal that made loud and irritating noises that echoed throughout the cavern. She led the group, walking the fastest with Lupin behind her. There was something jingling and moving ominously up ahead, but Darcy didn't know what to expect. While she was well aware they may have been guardians, she wasn't thinking and zoned out. As she rounded a corner, flames started towards her and Lupin grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her to him and away from harm.

A dragon sat, chained, on the other side of the wall. It screeched and growled, blowing flames towards the people nearest it. Darcy pressed herself up to a wall and breathed heavily, still trying to get over the fact she was almost fried. "Now what?!" she asked desperately.

"Give me the bag, Darcy Potter," Griphook ordered and she threw the small bag to the goblin. He opened it up confidently and Darcy winced, not knowing what was going to shoot out of the bag or explode. He pulled out sets of small hammer-like tools and gave one to Harry, Ron, and Darcy. "These will keep the dragon at bay for you all; the dragon is partially blind and expects pain when these are rattled."

Darcy watched as Hermione's forehead creased and a small smile pulled at her lips. She knew that Hermione believed respectful treatment of magical creatures was a very important ideal. However, Darcy was glad Hermione decided not to say anything because rattling the instruments was the only way to carry on. The eldest Potter shook her small hammer and, with Lupin still close behind her, turned the corner again, rattling the tool furiously, hoping that the dragon would back off and not blow anymore fire at them. Thankfully, as the dragon heard the clanking echoing throughout the cavern, it drew closer to the ground and moved backwards, retreating and hiding in a small crevice in the wall, just big enough for the dragon's backside.

Griphook cuffed his hands to his mouth. "Make him press his hand to the door!"

Whipping around, Darcy saw Harry approach the door with the hazy goblin, walking lightly past the dragon and smiling up at it. Still rattling his Clankers, Harry hip checked Darcy out of the way and caused her to fall back into Lupin, who caught her and steadied her again. Harry, instinctively, grabbed the goblin around his wrist and slammed the palm of his wrinkled hand to the door, hoping it would unlock. With the agitating noise of the Clankers ringing in her ears, Darcy saw the doors to the vault open slowly, revealing a bright room full of gold items, skins, jewels - she couldn't believe her eyes.

Without having to say a single word, Harry led the five of them into the vault. Griphook led the still content goblin in behind everyone else and the door sealed behind them, but Darcy paid no attention. Their way out was still accessible - the goblin was still able to get them out. Her only focus was on the Horcrux - Hufflepuff's Cup - but what exactly was it going to look like? There were so many golden cups and goblets in the vault that it very well could have been any of the many. The vault began to get darker as the doors were closed tight and Darcy lit her wand. Lupin followed her lead and soon, everyone's wands were emitting a bright shine from the tips.

Darcy could hear Lupin's labored breathing to her right as he searched in every nook and cranny of the treasures for a cup with a badger on it or anything that could be a Horcrux. Darcy climbed all the shelves, looking for a cup that could have been strategically placed upon the topmost shelf. A shining red hilt caught Darcy's eye and she noticed the fake sword of Gryffindor on one of the upper shelves, yet there were three more higher up.

At the very top, sitting on the shelf was a gold cup. It didn't have anything on it that resembled a badger, but it looked awfully special and it was quite hidden from everything else in the vault. "Harry!" screeched Darcy. "I think I found it! I think it's -!" There was a horrible scream that caused everyone's heart to stop and they all turned to look at Darcy. She had dropped down a few shelves, but was still hanging on, tears in her eyes and her hand burning. The smell of burning flesh made Harry's nose tingle.

The cup that Darcy had attempted to pick up fell in slow-motion to the ground, where it did not shatter, but simply multiplied, split into two, which split into four... Darcy heaved herself up so she had a better grip on the shelf and everyone froze. She locked eyes with Lupin, who then let his eyes wander to her burnt hand.

"Gemino and Flagrante Curses!" said Griphook. "Do not touch anything - it will multiply and burn! The doubles of all the treasure will bury you alive in here!"

All five of the wizards exchanged worried glances, afraid to move in fear that they would touch something. Darcy's arm were beginning to tire and shake and she knew that she wasn't going to be able to hold on for much longer. Ron wrapped his arms tightly around the ladder he was on; Harry froze on the ground, his wand light shining on a skeleton with a crown; Hermione was a few shelves below Darcy, looking up at her and not knowing what to do; Lupin stared at Darcy, hoping that she would have another backup plan. "You heard him," breathed Darcy. "Don't touch anything..."

She had spoken too soon. Ron began to wobble on the ladder and he fell backwards, reaching out for someone to grab onto. He managed to catch hold of Darcy's ankle and she, too, began to crash to the ground with Ron, hitting several items on the way down. Darcy fell on her back, Ron breaking most of her fall, but Ron seemed to have the wind knocked out of him. His shoe was burnt from the multiplying coins and Darcy's pants were singed from touching part of a tiara. Darcy yanked him to his feet by the collar of his cloak and held him steady and close, looking up and around. No one made a sound, just craned their necks to get a full view of the place.

"There!" Harry shouted and Darcy's heart skipped a few beats. Her stomach churned as Harry pointed up towards the top of the vault in a back corner. A pure gold cup sitting in the middle of a spotlight and Harry licked his lips greedily as he examined it carefully. He looked around and breathed in slowly, thinking of how to go about retrieving the cup. Griphook closely monitored Harry and scowled as he took so long to process everything.

"How the hell are we going to get that?" snapped Ron, still clutching onto Darcy, trying not to step on any coins behind him. The two were encircled in extremely hot metal, not moving a single muscle.

Harry spun around twice, looking at every single one of his friends. When his eye caught the fake sword of Gryffindor his sister had been checking out, an idea bloomed inside his mind. "Hermione - Hermione - the sword!"

Hermione was still desperately holding onto a shelf and looked at Harry, exasperated. "You think I can reach in my bag right now?" she hissed and Darcy looked up. Hermione's bag hung from a thin string, about to fall from her cloak pocket. It was _just_ out of Darcy's reach, but maybe...

Darcy looked directly into Ron's eyes and grabbed his hand, gripping it as tightly as she could. Ron's fingers lost circulation, but she ordered him, "Do not let go of my hand and do not let me fall." Ron was confused, but did as he was told, grabbing her left hand with both of his own. Darcy slowly leaned forward, her feet still inside the open circle and her body leaning father over the treasure and closer to Hermione's swinging figure. "Hermione, you have to shake the bag out of your pocket."

With a terrified look, Hermione tried swaying back and forth on the shelf, not looking down and not wanting to see what she would hit if she fell. The bag came closer to the outside of her pocket and Ron's hand was sweaty, losing grip on Darcy's. As Hermione swayed one more time, nearly losing her grip and balance, the bag slipped from her pocket and Darcy outstretched her fingers, catching the small bag with the tips of her index and middle finger. Ron pulled her up straight again and Darcy worked fast, opening up the bag and pulled out the sword of Gryffindor. Harry waited impatiently, glaring at Darcy and holding his hand out for the sword.

"Remus!" gasped Darcy, tossing the sword towards the older man. Griphook flinched, almost as if to move for it, but he stayed where he was, afraid of getting burnt.

Lupin caught the sword with ease and handed it to Harry, who grabbed it quickly from Lupin's hand. Harry looked up at the cup, looking for a ladder or somewhere to step where he wouldn't get burnt. Bracing himself and knowing there was no other way, Harry jumped on the treasures, climbing up towards the Horcrux. Cups and coins fell to the ground and the vault became very noisy and very hot. Sweat dripped down Darcy's forehead and down her back as the molten hot pile of golden items grew larger and began to engulf Darcy and Ron, raising them up towards the ceiling and burning them badly. Pain shot through her entire body and Ron had gripped onto her arm, squeezing it hard. Lupin turned and saw Darcy crying out and Lupin darted for her. "Darcy! Darcy!"

Darcy felt Lupin grab her hand and pull her down further into the gold. She gritted her teeth, knowing Lupin was trying to help her, but he had only made it worse by holding onto her. Darcy was nearing the top of the shelves she had climbed and Hermione was now being burnt, as well, finally able to let go and fall back into the fiery hot pile. Looking up at her brother, Darcy saw that Harry had slipped the blade of the sword through the handle of the cup and was looking for a way down. He jumped, realizing his friends were in a horrendous amount of pain and felt heat rise throughout his legs, making them almost numb.

The pile of gold was quickly swallowing Darcy and she wrapped her arms tight around Lupin's neck. Harry attempted to swim over to Hermione, who was trying her hardest to hoist the cursed goblin out of the gold, and he realized that Griphook was slipping under it all fast. He lunged towards Griphook slender fingers sticking out from the pile of gold and Harry pulled him up fast, falling hard on his back. Darcy watched through half-opened, watery eyes and saw the sword fly high into the air, Horcrux still around the blade, and it landed perfectly in Griphook's hands. Darcy heard loud bangs from the other side of the vault and buried her face in Lupin's chest, knowing that they were about to be caught and killed and they would never see each other again. This was probably their last moment together. Griphook had been dishonest and deceitful the entire time and it was foolish of Darcy not to notice it. She should have known goblins were like this.

The pile of burning gold was now up to Darcy's neck, inching its way towards her lips. Then - the crashing of metal - Darcy was sliding downwards, her skin nearly catching on fire, and the cool air of the cavern hit her directly in the face, cooling her off slightly. She hit the ground and skidded once, cutting up her cheek, but she ignored it, for the pain of the cut was nothing compared to the burns on her skin.

Lupin hoisted her up on her feet by the waist and Darcy swayed before balancing herself. Harry was running in front of her, shoving something into his pocket... the Horcrux - but no sword. The Horcrux, but no way to destroy it...

"Thieves!" Griphook shouted loudly, the sword waving in the air, sobering Darcy up suddenly.

Darcy spun around, seeing the mass of goblins advancing towards them, all with daggers and blades out and ready. Then she saw the blind dragon, roaring and screeching from the hot treasure burning it. Lupin grabbed Darcy's hand, holding onto it tightly, and led her away from the dragon and the goblins, catching up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Just as Darcy and Lupin rounded the corner they had come around to get there, the dragon let out an angry roar and spat fire, almost scorching every goblin in the vicinity.

Harry stopped running all of a sudden and Hermione tripped on the back of his feet, tumbling forward. She sprang to her feet. "_Harry_!" she urged, taking quick steps back and away from the mess of creatures.

"Trust me -" He started, but took off back towards the dragon. Darcy glanced at Lupin and he placed a hand on the small of her back, giving her a gentle push forward and she took off running towards her brother. Harry had pointed his wand at the dragon and Darcy covered her eyes as a bright, blue light sped from his wand and lit up the whole cavern. When she realized what Harry had just done, she dropped to the floor, pushing herself up against a wall and trying to hide.

The dragon did not approach her, however - it was still awfully confused and scared. Harry hadn't come back, so Darcy poked her head around the corner and saw that Harry was sprinting madly towards the freed dragon. Hermione, Ron, and Lupin was running towards Darcy, worried for Harry's safety. Harry was fine. Harry was waving his friends forward and he went right up to the dragon, his chest heaving.

"Come on!" He stunned a few goblins with ease with a flick of his wand and then knocked out another just in time. "Let's go!"

Darcy took in a deep breath, but knew she had to trust Harry. She watched her brother climb up on the dragon, which was slamming its tail against a few goblins. Darcy was the first to get up and run towards Harry, dodging the goblins trying to slash her with their weapons. She wasn't entirely sure if everyone was following her, but she had no time to look or go back to get them. Leaping and hoping for the best, Darcy grabbed a small horn on the dragon's side. Harry reached a hand down to his sister and pulled her up on the dragon. Hermione followed Darcy, Lupin followed Hermione, and Ron was last, grasping the dragon as tight as possible. He wrapped his legs and arms around a horn and closed his eyes.

Lupin crawled over to Darcy, who assumed the same position as Ron around another horn, and he sat behind her, shielding her with his body. He buried his face in her shoulder, closing his eyes and uttering a prayer to God almost bitterly. Lupin's hands covered Darcy's and kept them warm, and just as she was getting comfortable, the dragon reared and Lupin had to hold on tighter. The dragon took off towards the ceiling; Darcy braced herself for impact and, nearly falling off, she cursed loudly.

They had gotten through the roof of the caverns and were flying straight through the main floor of the bank. Screaming goblins terrified Darcy and she felt glass crashing all over her head and shoulders. Ron tried to look up and see if everyone was okay, but his face turned white when he opened his eyes and he closed them just as quickly. But that wasn't the worst part -

Spreading its wings all the way, the dragon broke every window in Gringotts, making the group of five a bloody bunch. It roared and Darcy jumped as the dragon collided head first with the solid ceiling, tearing into the sky, with five wizards on its back just barely escaping death.


	29. Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts

**GOTTA GET BACK TO HOGWARTS.**

With Lupin's arms wrapped around her the only thing keeping her steady on the back of the dragon, Darcy closed her eyes, hoping that the dragon wouldn't make a sharp turn and throw them all off. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins; her heart had been beating unusually fast for a very long time. She just wanted to fly so very far away from Gringotts, far away from everyone chasing after them. Opening her eyes and looking around, Darcy caught Harry's eye and she wondered if he had a plan about getting off. They couldn't stay on the back of the dragon forever, and she had no idea how long it would fly.

Charlie would have been an excellent person to have next to her at that moment.

Once Voldemort found out what they all had done to Gringotts, the five of them could be dead within minutes. He had to have known they were close to destroying all his Horcruxes - and then the sudden realization dawned upon Darcy. Griphook had gotten the sword and they had the Horcrux, but absolutely nothing to destroy it with. That sword was their only hope and it was now gone, back in the hands of a manipulative goblin. Her mind began to race with options of how to continue. There was no use unless they had a powerful weapon to destroy the cup. There was absolutely no reason to go on just holding the Horcrux, hoping that eventually, they'll find something to destroy it.

"Are you okay?" Lupin shouted in Darcy's ear, but she could still hardly hear him. The wind was whipping her hair back in his face and he spat it out, flattened it, and pressed his cheek to the back of her head so he wouldn't get anymore hair in his face. He could feel her trembling violently underneath his body, but he wasn't sure if it was because they just broke into Gringotts or if it was because they were flying on a blind dragon that had no idea where it was going. Lupin assumed it was both things and placed a soft kiss by her ear when she didn't respond.

As the sun began to set, Darcy couldn't believe how long they had been flying through the skies of London... or England... or wherever they were now. How long had they been in Gringotts? It seemed like such an awfully long time, especially in the vault. How much longer would they be sitting there? Days? Weeks? No, the dragon had to stop eventually. It was a living creature, therefore it would need a break to eat and drink. And when it stopped to eat, it would smell the beings hiding on its back and attempt to eat them...

The solid ground beneath the dragon suddenly became water and Darcy hugged the horn tighter. It was flying in large circles, just below the clouds, and slowly began to lower itself down towards the water. Everyone looked at each other, hoping someone had a plan, but alas, no one did as they were all still terrified and shocked. The dragon was losing altitude and Darcy felt Lupin's hands grip her's extremely tight, his knuckles white.

"We need to jump!" screamed Darcy, mostly at Lupin, but everyone else heard and looked to her for guidance. No one moved, expecting Darcy to jump first, but she scoffed. "We need to jump _now_!"

Harry nodded slightly at his sister and looked down at the nearing lake. He was gone in a second, letting go of the horn and sliding off the side of the dragon. Without thinking, Lupin let Darcy go and jumped, pushing off the side of the dragon, hoping for the best. Darcy was last, falling feet first towards the shining water. She braced herself for impact, but still wasn't ready; as she hit the water with her feet, it was almost like hitting concrete and she held back a scream as she plunged a good few feet underwater. Darcy could hear the dragon's proud roar from below the surface and she kicked up to the top of the lake, breathing in fresh air heavily and looking for her friends.

Already leading Hermione and Ron to a sandy bank, Harry was far ahead of Darcy, who was still treading water and looking for Lupin. Feeling a hand on her arm, she knew he was there and when she looked to her left, Lupin was spitting out water. They swam after the three towards land and the cold water made Darcy shudder. She was so incredibly tired and so incredibly drained right then, that had it not been for Lupin holding her hand, she would have fallen back and possibly drowned. All of her energy was gone and she just wanted to sleep for days in the comfortable bed at Bill's.

Darcy's ankles got caught with reeds, but she finally hauled herself onto the dry bank, breathing heavily and closing her eyes. Lupin fell to his knees beside her, gasping for air. Swimming took the life out of him. He never did much physical activity because of his affliction and the toll it had taken on him. But he was there, caught up with everyone else, and he got to his feet again, helping Harry cast protective enchantments around them all.

Rolling on her stomach, Darcy watched Hermione and Ron fix their burns with some dittany. Everyone was burned and their clothes had holes in them. Darcy hadn't realized how badly she had been injured until just that moment, when overwhelming pain shot through her body and she whimpered, trying to stand up. She hoisted herself to her feet and joined Hermione and Ron, applying dittany to her own skin while Hermione pulled dry clothes out of her bag, tossing them to everyone.

Hunger pains hurt Darcy more than ever and she was lightheaded and woozy. Her hands were still shaky from their day trip to Gringotts and she wondered how long it would be until Voldemort found them. Stripping off her wet clothes and putting on dry ones was easily the best thing for her at the moment. It felt so good to be out of the cold robes she had been wearing.

"No sword..." she heard Ron say and Darcy grabbed chunks of her hair, beginning to pace and trying to think clearly. "A Horcrux, but no sword..."

"What do we do?" Hermione turned and looked at Darcy, who immediately stopped pacing and looked up. Everyone was looking at her with wide, sad eyes, ready for the plan she had not yet thought of. "Darcy?"

"I - I don't know!" Darcy snapped at the younger girl. "I don't know, okay? Just - give me a minute to think, Hermione! I just robbed a damn vault and jumped off a fucking dragon so _let me think_!"

Everyone quieted as Darcy walked as far away from her friends as possible, while still remaining in the protected area. She plopped down on the ground and hugged her knees to her chest, on the verge of a mental breakdown. Couldn't anyone else think of something? Why did they expect her to have all the answers? Because she was the oldest? If that was the case, then everyone should have been interrogating Lupin. Darcy wasn't the chosen one like Harry; Hermione and Ron had been through everything with Harry. If anything, they should have had a plan prepared, as well, just in case Darcy failed to follow through.

Lupin's heavy footsteps neared her and he sat down beside her, assuming the same position with his knees to his chest. He didn't speak, but waited for her to calm down first. However, just his presence beside her made Darcy instantly calmer. Her breathing became a bit more regular and Lupin waited for her to speak first, so not to make her angry.

He was slightly disappointed when she didn't speak. There were so many things on Darcy's mind and she couldn't pick out just one to talk to him about. She was hoping that he would start a conversation because she needed a distraction from all the over thinking she was doing. Darcy's mind could do horrible things to her and Lupin knew it.

"Do you remember when we first met?" he asked her solemnly, trying to get her mind off everything. He chose a topic that he was sure she knew about and one that wouldn't make her lash out on him. Talking about she and him was probably the best option for him to take.

Darcy breathed in through her nose and shifted a little, nodding, not at him, but at the vast lake in front of her. "At the Weasley's," she answered quietly. It was a long time before she continued, but Lupin waited patiently. "I thought you were handsome."

Lupin chuckled and looked at Darcy's profile. "Yeah?"

Smiling, she finally looked at him. "Yeah." Her smile faded as she turned away again. "That was a long time ago."

"Not so much," shrugged Lupin. "Only a few years."

"It seems much longer."

"I'm not surprised you think so," he sighed. "They've been long, stressful years." Lupin turned and on a whim, touched Darcy's cheek, pressing a kiss to her temple. She closed her eyes and felt his lips on her skin. They were cold and wet, but still loving and familiar. "You were so different back then."

"I'd like to see someone go through the exact same things I have and see them be the same before and after," Darcy shot back, but Lupin just laughed.

He hadn't meant it in a cruel way, but it was true. Darcy's once brilliant green eyes had faded and were dull and lifeless. Her once radiant smile was rarely ever seen by Lupin. Her body was small and frail and bony, starved from her months in forests and woods without food. But he still thought she was beautiful. Sure, she was more physically attractive when she was well-fed and healthy, but Lupin saw past that. Lupin saw the beauty in her scars. He saw the beauty in everything she did and how well she handled everything the past year. She had grown up and was now a hopeless soldier in a war being fought by four children and himself. Darcy had told him several times throughout the years that she loved each and every one of his scars and it made him happy that he could say the same thing about her's.

While Lupin's scars were simply because of what he was, Darcy's were there because of what she had done. The battles she had fought and won. The hardships she had overcome. The actions she had taken when no one else could. That is what made Darcy so beautiful, the fact that she was strong and at such a young age, accomplished more than Lupin had ever accomplished in his entire life. And because of that, Lupin thought the imperfections about Darcy were absolutely perfect and he wouldn't have her any other way. He wanted her through it all - through every wound and scar and tear - he wanted it all for himself. Darcy had made something for herself. She was carrying on with something she had little chance of winning and she had accepted that defeat could be an outcome. Yet she pressed on without complaint. Everything she did could have killed her, but there she was, alive and not so well, but alive, nonetheless.

"All these years," Darcy whispered, interrupting Lupin's thoughts. "Everything I've - _we've _- worked for... it might just be over soon. Everything we have achieved together, gone like it was nothing. Have you thought of that?"

Yes, he had. Many, many times. "I think it's better to go down fighting than not fighting at all." He turned his body slowly to face Darcy, but she did not move. She was looking down at the still water, afraid. "Everything we have achieved together will not be forgotten if something happens to us, Darcy. They'll remember. They'll all remember. Because we are the only ones fighting and no one ever forgets heroes."

"Five people who don't stand a chance against the army we're trying to destroy?" scoffed Darcy, digging her heel into the sand. "I wouldn't go so far to call us heroes."

"I think your definition of a hero is much different from the world's."

"Look at us, Remus," Darcy said. "We're not heroes. We're unlucky bastards who were thrown into this unwillingly."

"You're heroes because you were unwillingly thrown into a situation that you have decided to carry on with and fix. Not many people would do what you are doing."

"Commit suicide?"

"Keep going."

It was quiet between them for a moment and Lupin stood up, kissing the top of Darcy's wet hair and helping her to her feet. She accepted his help and walked over to her other friends, who were eagerly awaiting her arrival. Harry stared into his sister's eyes with slight excitement. "_Hogwarts_," he told her dramatically. "We need to go to Hogwarts."

"Why?" Darcy rolled her eyes at Harry's ridiculous statement. There was no way they could go back to Hogwarts - not all of them. Snape most likely had his army searching carefully for them all. Darcy's eyes widened - _Snape_. What would happen if he saw her again? Would he kill her? There was no way she could kill him, which was obvious after what had happened after she watched Snape kill Dumbledore. Maybe - just maybe - Snape would help them. Was that even possible? Would Snape even do that?

"He's hidden the Horcrux at Hogwarts," Harry said, ready to move. He swayed back and forth on his feet impatiently while Darcy waited for him to explain. "I saw it - I _saw_ it, Darcy. We need to go now! Before it's too late!"

"Well, we can't just go," Lupin told Harry sternly. "I'm sure there are several ways of protection guarding the castle. We won't be able to just walk right in through the front doors."

Harry seemed irked by their responses. "Let's go to Hogsmeade," Harry answered quickly. "We go to Hogsmeade and then we'll check out the protection. Let's just _go_."

"People will see us!" Hermione hissed.

"It's dark!" Harry said through gritted teeth. "No one will see us!"

Without anything else to say, Harry grabbed onto Darcy's hand. Everyone joined together and Darcy took slow breaths as the five of them turned on the spot and disappeared from their last hiding spot, not knowing what to expect next.

* * *

><p>Darcy's feet met concrete and her heart ached horribly when she opened her eyes to see Hogsmeade. The same old buildings and shops - how she missed Hogwarts and everything magical. But she had no time to process her feelings and nostalgia, for a scream echoed throughout the night air and nearly caused Darcy to drop to her knees. She thought for a moment that her ears were beginning to bleed, but could not check, but Lupin pulled her into a narrow crevice between two buildings.<p>

Death Eaters piled into the streets, almost a dozen of them, wands out and ready for an attack. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were somewhere else, but Darcy couldn't see them. She was holding her breath as the Death Eaters walked by slowly, not bothering to check where Lupin and Darcy were hiding. She exhaled quietly in relief as they all passed her, not noticing the two.

"We need to Disapparate," breathed Lupin in Darcy's ear. "We need to get out of here before they spot us."

Darcy breathed back, "We can't leave without my friends."

Lupin thought this was fair and hoped her friends hadn't left without them. No one had casted any spells, which was a good thing so far, because casting a spell would reveal that they were, in fact, there. The Death Eater's voices were far away down the road as they searched the village. But the situation was not over. Darcy's blood felt like ice and she felt what little happiness she had left slip away from her mind. Lupin held onto her tightly, knowing what was coming, but hoping it wouldn't catch them. It was a stupid thing to hope for; Dementors could smell them and easily suck the life out of them.

Darcy knew that the only way to fight the Dementors was to cast a Patronus. If she didn't want to die, she'd have to do it and give away her position, which most likely would get her killed by the Death Eaters. But which was worse? Dementors or Death Eaters? She raised her wand slowly by her side and Lupin noticed, grabbing her wrist and trying to stop her.

"_Expecto Patronum_!"

It wasn't Darcy's voice, nor Lupin's. Darcy knew right away that it was Harry and she saw the stag run right by her face. Her heart sank and she knew that they had been caught. She might as well have just walked out in the middle of the street and gotten down on the ground to make it as easy as possible for the Death Eaters. Although, the dark feeling that the Dementors had given Darcy was now gone, so she knew the only threat were the wizards patrolling the streets, now after the Patronus.

Darcy poked her head around the corner to see the damage, but there was nothing. The Death Eaters were confused, looking away from her and down where the stag had disappeared.

"Potter!" a scratchy voice whispered. "_Potter_! Over here!"

Looking to her left, Darcy saw an open door to one of the buildings and grabbed Lupin's hand, dashing towards it, still remaining unseen by the Death Eaters. She jumped inside the cool home and the door slammed behind her. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were already inside, staring her down and they all hesitated, catching their breaths and planning their next move. With no idea where they were, Darcy looked around for clues, trying to figure out if she was about to be killed or saved. Squinting and trying to recognize her surroundings, Darcy was hit with painful realization that they were standing in the empty bar of the Hog's Head Inn.

"Upstairs _now_!" hissed the voice and in the darkness, Darcy could not see who was now pushing her towards the narrow staircase. She found her feet working automatically, climbing the stairs and reaching the second floor, Lupin close behind her. Her feet sank into the soft carpet on the hardwood floor and a fire burned in the fireplace, lighting up the picture of the pretty young girl hanging over the mantle. The girl smiled down at Darcy, but she could not find the strength to smile back.

Death Eater's were outside of the building, shouting at whoever had taken them in. "That was a stag! Potter's Patronus - not yours!"

"A _stag_?" the man retorted. "A damn _stag_? _Expecto Patronum_!"

Darcy saw a blue light from outside a small window and she cautiously creeped up to it, looking down at the street. A goat had erupted from the man's wand and she tilted her head - what a strange Patronus to have. The goat hopped around happily for a few seconds and then disappeared silently. She shut the curtains as the Death Eaters accepted their mistake angrily, walking away towards the castle. Harry was seated in a chair, his face white; Hermione was shaking, staring at her feet in the corner of the room; Ron was pacing back and forth, his hands shoved deep in his jeans pockets; Lupin was standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed, staring into the fire.

Loud footsteps were making their way up the stairs, but Darcy knew that they were in no danger. The barman had entered the room, looking at them all and lighting candles with a flick of his wand. Darcy could suddenly see and her eyes adjusted to the light.

"What the hell do you think you're doing coming here?" grunted the man and Darcy looked at him with a confused expression.

"Thank you," gasped Harry, clearly scared out of his wits. "You saved us."

Darcy examined the man carefully. There was something so about him that was familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Perhaps she had seen him before while attending Hogwarts. She often strolled along the streets of Hogsmeade with Emily during her last few years at school, but for some reason, Darcy didn't think that was it. The long, grey hair and the bright blue eyes - _what_ was so peculiar about him?

"I've been seeing your eye in the mirror," Harry said quietly, surprise flashing across his face. "You're the one who sent Dobby."

"Where'd you leave him?" the man replied gruffly.

"He's dead."

The man's face softened a bit. "Oh, I'm sorry. I liked that elf."

"You're Aberforth," Harry said again and Darcy glanced at her brother. Aberforth. Aberforth? Aberforth _Dumbledore_. Darcy caught her breath and exchanged a rather excited look with Lupin.

Aberforth did not answer Harry, but left them briefly in the small room, returning with food and drink. Darcy attacked the platter of food like an animal, fighting Ron for first pick of dinner. She picked up a piece of hot bread and bit into it, her stomach begging for more. With bread still in her mouth, she chugged whatever was in the glasses, which happened to be mead. All five of them ate as if they hadn't eaten in days, without manners and desperately eating as much as possible.

"You all need to get out of here," Aberforth continued, ignoring their ravenous eating, looking out of the window through the curtains. "It's best to wait until daybreak..."

With his mouth stuffed full of bread, Harry protested. "We aren't leaving!" He swallowed and puffed his chest out. "We need to get into Hogwarts."

Waiting for Harry to laugh it off as a joke, Aberforth waited and stared at him for a little while. When he finally realized Harry was, in fact, _not_ joking, he rolled his eyes and waved him off impatiently. "That's impossible, boy. You know that."

"You have to help us," pleaded Harry. "We need to get into Hogwarts if we're going to finish off You-Know-Who. Please - your brother needed us to finish this job -"

Aberforth let out a loud, condescending laugh. "A job?" he repeated and Harry nodded confidently. "Nice job, I hope? Pleasant? Easy?"

"It isn't easy, but we're doing the best we can."

"You're seventeen, boy," replied Aberforth sadly. "No way in Hell you should be fighting in this war."

"Someone's got to," Darcy shot back angrily, stepping up beside Harry. "If you aren't going to help, then we'll just have to do it ourselves."

"And how are you going to do that, Potter?" Aberforth crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

"That's why we're hoping you'll help," Darcy answered. "We'll have a better chance of sneaking into the castle with you. You know what's going on. We've just gotten here."

"I'll give you some advice," Aberforth told them. "Will that help?" He cleared his throat. "_Give up_. Go home. Live a little longer."

"Just because you've given up doesn't mean we have!" Harry tried not to raise his voice and draw attention, but he couldn't help himself.

"I haven't given up!" argued Aberforth.

Harry didn't have to answer; Aberforth already knew that Harry spoke the truth. "Please, get us into Hogwarts," begged Darcy, clapping her hands together. "If you don't want to help, then fine, we'll do it ourselves, but we really could use all the help we can get. We haven't gotten much."

Aberforth seemed defeated and looked at his shoes quickly before looking up at the portrait of the girl. She was smiling at him with a sort of peacefulness as Aberforth spoke to her. "You know what to do."

The girl turned in her portrait and began to walk away, down a road that had been painted by the artist. She walked and walked and walked until they could not see her figure anymore and Darcy lost all hope, not knowing how this was going to help them get into the castle at all.

"There's only one way in safely," Aberforth explained to them all. Darcy listened carefully to every single word he said. "All the secret passageways - blocked. Every last one of them. Except this one. Snape has the Carrows as his deputies, so I doubt you'll even be able to do _anything_ without getting caught... You know that the outcome of this may not be pleasant?"

"We know," muttered Harry gravely.

Darcy's eyes focused on the portrait again and she saw the girl's figure walking again, extremely far away. But her body grew bigger as she got closer again, but something was different. Someone was walking with her, limping along the road excitedly. He was cut up, dirty, beaten, and bruised, but the light of a smile still shined on his face. The figures grew and grew until the girl rested in her usual spot again. Darcy jumped as the portrait swung open and revealed a small hole in the wall, a secret passageway. And the boy who clambered out of the hole was completely real. She almost couldn't believe it, so she reached out and touched the face of whoever was standing in front of her.

The name that left her lips was barely audible, for Darcy was in such shock. "Neville?"

"Hello, Darcy!"


	30. Goodbyes

**GOODBYES.**

Seeing Neville Longbottom beaten nearly to death, yet still smiling - that was quite the sign of hope for Darcy. She pulled the taller boy closer to her, hugging the remaining life out of Neville. His grip around Darcy's body was still firm and he kissed her cheek gleefully. Everyone crowded around him, including Lupin, who shook his hand with a grin. Darcy, all the while, stared at Neville, looking at each gash in his face, his swollen eye, and his dirty and unkempt hair. Neville had definitely been living rough and Darcy became curious, wondering what else was going on in Hogwarts.

"What happened?" Hermione asked Neville, very concerned for her friend's well-being. Darcy's heart was pumping faster, hoping that no one else was in bad shape like Neville.

"This is nothing," Neville waved her off impatiently, a smile glued to his face. "You should see Seamus. Let's go, then. Oh, Ab - there may be more people on the way."

"More?" Aberforth grumbled, sounding irritated. "There's no way they're going to make it here without sounding off all the alarms."

"They're Apparating here," explained Neville confidently. "Send them to us when they come."

Neville clambered back into the passageway and invited everyone else in eagerly. Harry jumped up, Ron following him closely. Hermione, with help from Darcy, heaved herself in. Darcy leaped up and Lupin was following up the rear, the portrait shutting ominously behind him. The ground was smoother than Darcy had thought it would be and lamps lit the tunnel gloomily. Still, the six of them pressed on quickly towards Hogwarts.

"How long has this been here?" Darcy thought aloud and Lupin scoffed to himself. She eyed him down, smiling slightly, knowing that he and his friends had never known about this secret passageway. She had never seen it on the Marauder's Map before and assumed Lupin to be impressed.

"This is the only secret way into the castle now," Neville said to everyone, acting as their tour guide. Neville was walking faster than everyone, knowing exactly where he was going in the badly lit passageway. He spun around on his heels and smiled at everyone, holding their gaze for a good few seconds, taking in their appearance. "Is all of it true? Everything? Gringotts? The dragon?"

"Yeah," sighed Harry and Neville laughed.

"I knew it!" Neville shouted. "We all did! Where have you been, guys? What have you been doing? Not just hiding, I'm sure!"

"We've been keeping busy," Darcy answered, clearing her throat. "What about Hogwarts, Neville?"

Neville's face turned sad and he looked away from the group behind him. His wiggled his fingers by his sides. "Hogwarts isn't Hogwarts anymore," Neville told them grimly, exhaling loudly. "The Carrows - they teach here - they're Death Eaters. And they're in charge of all punishment. Teachers are supposed to send us to them when we do something wrong, but no one ever does. They're scared of them, I think. We all are.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts - Amycus Carrow - it isn't that anymore. It's just Dark Arts. And our most recent topic was the Cruciatus Curse. We were supposed to perform it on other students who had gotten into trouble."

Darcy's breath hitched and she tried not to imagine Neville being tortured by a fellow student. It made her tingle all over, feeling Neville's pain. They all were gasping and horrified, wondering how students could ever perform those types of spells without having mental breakdowns.

"We miss you, Remus," Neville looked directly at Lupin over his shoulder. "Class hasn't been the same."

Lupin's face turned red and he attempted to hide it from everyone.

"Muggle Studies is taught by his sister, Alecto. She just teaches us about how Muggles are disgusting and are animals. See this gash?" Neville touched a deep slash on his cheek and Darcy winced. "I asked how much Muggle blood she and her brother have got."

"Damn, Neville," said Ron, strangely proud of Neville. "There's a time and a place for that."

Neville shrugged. "I've found that when you stand up to someone, everyone around you feels a bit more hopeful. I learned that from you guys."

There was no more time for questions, as something was moving up ahead and an opening became visible, much like the one from Aberforth's. Neville pushed it all the way open and jumped down, screaming about who he had found. Darcy wasn't entirely sure what to expect, so she grabbed Lupin's hand and followed her friends out of the hole and into a large room.

"_Harry_!"

"_Darcy, Darcy!_"

"_Professor Lupin - you're back!_"

"_Ron, over here!_"

"_Hermione, is that you?"_

Darcy was overwhelmed with the amount of people who surged towards her. Seamus and Dean raced towards Harry and hugged him tightly. Lavender Brown blushed and hugged Ron and Hermione. Several students shook Lupin's hand and hugged him. Darcy didn't even realize that the Patil twins were attached to her, hanging off her neck. The portrait hole opened again behind Darcy and Luna jumped down out of it, running up to Darcy and flinging her arms around her neck. Darcy hugged her back, thankful that she was okay.

Now that Darcy could look around the room she was in, she noticed that she had absolutely no idea where she was in the castle. Three large banners hung in three corners of the room over hammocks of all colors. There was the Gryffindor banner with a proud lion roaring and, to the right of the Gryffindor banner, a big raven was standing against a blue background. Hufflepuff was across the room in another corner, the badger smiling wearily against a yellow background. Slytherin's banner was absent and Darcy was not surprised at all. But where was she? The room was perfectly suited for all their needs - her eyes widened. The Room of Requirement. This is where they had been hiding for so long?

More people were climbing out of the hole in the wall and Ginny was the first to be spotted. She and Harry headed for each other immediately. Fred and George were next and Darcy sprinted to them, nearly knocking them over as she jumped on both twins. Lee Jordan followed, shaking Harry's shoulder as he talked with Ginny. Cho Chang was last and the portrait swung shut again, sealing the passageway.

"What's the plan, Darcy?" George asked loudly, the room falling silent as he draped an arm around her shoulders. Darcy looked at Lupin, who looked extremely hopeless and at a loss for words.

Darcy shook George's arm off her shoulders and backed away towards Lupin. "Plan?" laughed Darcy nervously. She shook her head. "No, no - there is no plan. This is between the five of us - Neville, you shouldn't have told them to come -"

"Why shouldn't they have come?" Neville asked Darcy, crossing his arms. Everyone seemed angry, like they actually wanted to help. "I thought we were in this together. Dumbledore's Army."

"We appreciate it," Darcy told them all. "We really do, but, but..."

Ron looked at Darcy, holding up a long finger to her, telling her silently to stop talking. "You can help," Ron said immediately and everyone began cheering, but suddenly stopped, listening closely to Ron explain. Harry gave his best friend a strange look, but agreed to listen. "Harry, they can help."

Darcy turned to Lupin as Harry, Hermione, and Ron talked quietly amongst themselves, arguing. She looked up at him and frowned. There was nothing to say, but Lupin tucked her hair behind her ear sadly, holding her close to his body. Harry cleared his throat and the room was perfectly silent.

"We're looking for something," Harry started. "But we don't know what. It can help destroy You-Know-Who, but we don't know where it could be. It's - uh, it - there would be an eagle on it, perhaps?"

Every pair of eyes flashed towards the Ravenclaws, who were thinking hard, their eyebrows knitted together on their forehead. Cho looked as if she had something to say, but couldn't think if she was right. Instead, Luna, whose eyes were wide and glossy, said, "The lost diadem of Ravenclaw, maybe."

"The lost diadem," muttered Harry, putting his hands on his hips, his mind racing. "How long has it been lost, exactly?"

"Centuries," Cho answered. "Professor Flitwick said the diadem vanished with Ravenclaw herself." There was a pregnant silence as Harry considered this. Darcy could not think straight and hoped Harry could keep talking, since she could not think of anything. "There's a statue in the common room, Harry. I can show you if you want to see what it's supposed to look like."

Harry walked over to his sister, touching her arm gently. Darcy swallowed. "It's the only lead we've got," he whispered to her and Darcy nodded, fearful that Harry would not return. "Wait for me here, won't you?"

"Okay," Darcy rasped and Harry looked at Cho, ready to go, but Ginny protested.

"Luna will take you, Harry, won't you, Luna?" Ginny looked at Luna with angry eyes.

"Of course," replied Luna dreamily, skipping next to Harry and leading him to a small cupboard, leading to a narrow and steep staircase. They left the room and everyone started talking again, thinking of plans of how to defeat the Death Eaters who had taken over Hogwarts. They talked excitedly of the future, finishing school with good professors and an actual Headmaster.

Darcy sat down on a hammock and Lupin joined her, staring at the crowd of people. Hermione was speaking with Ron and his siblings. "This is it, isn't it?" she whispered to Lupin, hoping he would have something reassuring to say. Lupin rubbed her back slowly, placing a kiss on her shoulder. She rested her head on his own shoulder and shut her eyes as he held her.

"Don't give up so soon," Lupin told her quietly, talking into her hair. "You never know what's going to happen. We've found people willing to fight."

"Children!" retorted Darcy, sitting up and looking at Lupin with watery eyes. "They're all children! They have no right fighting in this war!"

"Who else is going to fight, then?" Lupin shot back. They stared at each other for a long time and Darcy felt herself suddenly love Lupin more than ever before. She had no idea how long it would be until Voldemort killed them himself; Harry going out into the castle was the worst idea they had ever had. He didn't know how many Death Eaters were roaming the hallways. They were probably waiting for him - expecting him after the Gringotts episode. "You can't fight this war all on your own, Darcy."

She just wanted to touch him, have all of him, one more time before going head on into battle. Darcy wanted to kiss him all over, leaving no part of his body untouched by her lips. She wanted to feel his slightly chapped lips on her own, kissing her roughly and lovingly at the same time, almost saying goodbye. Her hands took on a life of their own, wrapping themselves around Lupin's bicep. There were far too many people in the room watching them closely; Darcy wasn't about to make a move on him in public. But she wanted to so badly and Lupin looked down at her, fighting the urge to sweep her up in his arms and make love to her. But the aching in his core was nothing compared to that of his heart, which pained him physically, thinking of losing Darcy in this war. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight.

_"I don't have the things you need. I don't have a nice house. I don't have a lot of money. We can't be together, Darcy."_

_"No, please, I don't care about that. I don't care about money. I love you," she sighed, touching his shoulders. "And if you love me, you'd –"_

_"I know we'll see each other again soon. I know it," he told Darcy, hugging her tightly. "You're just going to have to wait a little bit."_

Memories flashed through Darcy's head as she stared at Lupin, the whole world around them disappearing. She remembered back to her last year at Hogwarts, when Lupin was so concerned about her future. If he had known back then that this was her future, would things between them have been different? Would he be sitting there beside her? Would he be at home with a child they created together?

Darcy didn't have a home to go back to after the war - if her side won in the first place. The money in her bank account didn't matter to her at all. There was nothing she could give Lupin besides love, just like he had nothing to offer her but his own love. Darcy nuzzled into his body and he wrapped his arm around her, holding her as tight as he could.

_"Darcy," he chuckled to himself. "You're mine, love. You're mine. It's not the fact that I feel obligated to protect you, but more the fact that I want to protect you. If anything were to ever happen to you, I'd go mad. Absolutely insane. I want to protect you because I love you. Does that make sense?"_

_"I love you."_

_"And I love you."_

There was no doubt in Darcy's mind about Lupin's love for her. Not many people would have accompanied her on a suicide mission without complaint. He had actually begged to come along with her, wanted nothing more than to be with her for the rest of this war. Darcy understood how wonderful of a man he was, despite everything he had to live through his entire life.

_"I've been telling you for years that you need someone young and capable. Someone who can give you everything you want. Someone who can take care of you. As you can see, I'm not that kind of person. I can try to take care of you, but I know that I'll never be able to give you everything someone else could. And you know what? It breaks my heart that I can't give you everything you want."_

_"Like what? What could another man give me that you can't?"_

_"Do you want children, Darcy? A son or a daughter?" he asked and Darcy shrugged. "I don't know if I'd be able to give you a child. Depending on when you and I want to start a family, I might be too old. I act older because of my lycanthropy and I don't want to risk passing that down to your baby. I would never forgive myself. I would be disgusted for putting yet another burden on your shoulders._

_"And I'm sure you'd want a ring? I can't afford one, you know that. I may have some money from different odd jobs, but I could never get you that beautiful diamond ring that you want. And the wedding expenses? A honeymoon?_

_"And you want a beautiful home, don't you? A big house with a big porch and lots of land? You want a nice kitchen and a lovely sitting room? You want a full library in that house? How do you expect me to pay for that?"_

Darcy put her lips by Lupin's ear and her breath gave him goosebumps and chills ran up and down his spine. "I don't need a ring," she breathed. "I don't need a house. Or an extravagant wedding. Or a honeymoon. Forget the full library and lots of land."

"What?" whispered Lupin.

"I love you," purred Darcy in his ear. "I just -" She kissed Lupin's shoulder blade in plain view of all the students and friends standing around. "I just need to have you one last time - I'm so scared that this is it."

"You're driving me crazy," Lupin gave an exasperated sigh, his heart beating faster and his body beginning to crave Darcy's touch. It had been so long and he had no idea if the last time he touched her would be the last time forever. He needed her - he needed to see her, all of her, one last time before going out on this risky mission. But there was no way, not with everyone around, not with the location - everything was just wrong. Darcy's lips were still by his ear. She breathed in his ears, her hot breath, and Lupin closed his eyes, almost unable to hold himself back.

"Make us invisible," muttered Darcy slowly. Lupin knew the worry was starting to go to her head. She just wanted one last time to say goodbye - what if it wasn't goodbye? What if they were about to win? Lupin knew that was highly unlikely. "Do it, Remus."

He briefly considered it. But that wouldn't work; Lupin wanted to see her body and memorize her curves and scars and skin color. He wanted to see all the freckles on her body and the exact size of it. He needed her skin against his, sweaty and soft. Lupin shook the thought from his head, trying to remember he was in front of people. "When we make it out of this alive," he growled in her ear and Darcy breathed out, loving the sound of his voice. "I swear to you..."

Darcy's voice lowered to a barely audible whisper. "I don't think I can wait that long."

They rested there for a little bit, waiting for Harry and Luna to return. Time seemed to be going so slowly and Darcy was seeing everything in slow-motion. She was sleep deprived and emotionally exhausted, wanting nothing more than to curl up on one of the hammocks with Lupin and sleep for a thousand years, waking up when the war was over and won.

"I'm glad you came with me."

"Me too."

"I want to go home, Remus."

"I know." He hesitated. Where was home to her? The Burrow? Grimmauld Place? Shell Cottage? For so long, he had thought Hogwarts was Darcy's home. It was the one place she felt safe and comfortable, and to see the castle in a state such as this was heartbreaking to him. Hogwarts had been him home for a few years, too. Lupin could not forget the hospitality Dumbledore had offered him and he was so grateful for it. "After this, okay? We'll go home. We'll go anywhere you want."

Darcy didn't answer, but closed her eyes, hoping when she would open them again, everything would be different, but she was wrong. She knew that nothing was going to change. She knew that they had to fight sooner or later. It was inevitable. Voldemort would come, burn Hogwarts to the ground, and kill everyone against him. It was only a matter of time.

Lupin rested his head against Darcy's and closed his eyes, trying to take what little time was left to relax. As he listened to the noises around him, taking in everything at the moment, he noticed the volume had increased. Everyone was talking louder and he squeezed his eyes shut tight, hoping they would shut up. But someone had shouted louder than everyone else, repeating the same name over and over again.

"Darcy! Darcy? _Darcy_!"

Darcy's eyes shot open when she recognized the voice. She looked up at the crowd and saw Charlie Weasley nearly falling from the hole in the wall. Jumping up and leaving Lupin slightly disappointed, she ran to Charlie and jumped him, hugging him tightly. He sighed a huge sigh of relief. "Charlie, what are you doing here?" The Weasley spun her around and set her on the ground again.

"They called the Order," Charlie answered, nodding towards Neville, who was huddled together with what Darcy remembered of Dumbledore's Army. She smiled fondly at the ex-students and looked back at Charlie. "I'm so glad you're all right."

She smiled and nodded as Charlie placed a friendly kiss on her forehead. Lupin looked away when Charlie touched his lips to Darcy, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Where's Harry?"

"He's with Luna," explained Darcy. "They've gone up to the Ravenclaw common room a little while ago -"

"And they're not back yet?"

Darcy shook her head sadly. "They'll be back, though," she said with a nod. "I know they'll be back. They're strong."

"You're right," said Charlie, looking around at everyone surrounding him. "I'll talk to you later, yeah? I need to go speak with Fred and George."

"Okay." Darcy glanced at Lupin as Charlie walked away and motioned for him to join her. More people were coming down the tunnel, she could hear the faint voices echoing throughout the small passageway. Lupin put his arm around Darcy's shoulders protectively, pulling her close to him as they watched the entrance to the Room of Requirement closely. Darcy was slightly surprised as the old Gryffindor Quidditch team piled out next. Oliver Wood approached Darcy and put a hand on her shoulder, looking quickly at Lupin and nodding.

"Been a while, Darcy, hasn't it?" smiled Oliver and Darcy smiled back, agreeing. They stood there for a few seconds, taking in the entire scene. Everyone was greeting new faces again and the chatter had grown. "Yeah, a few years. I've heard about what you've been doing. Really impressive, Darcy. You can ride a dragon, but not a broomstick?"

"Oh, bite me." Oliver laughed at Darcy's remark and wandered off, finding old friends in the crowd. She looked up at Lupin and grinned. "Do you remember -?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Lupin flushed, vividly remembering Oliver from Darcy's last year at Hogwarts. How he had seen them riding a broomstick together... how he had purposefully pushed himself away from her using Oliver as an excuse. How could he have been so foolish?

Bill jumped down out of the hole, helping Fleur down, who gracefully landed and lit up the entire room. The couple acknowledged Darcy and Lupin, joining the other part of Bill's family underneath the Gryffindor banner and making sure everyone was doing well. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley followed their son and daughter-in-law, looking flustered as always. They ran up to Darcy and Lupin before anyone. Mr. Weasley patted Lupin on the back proudly and Mrs. Weasley gave him a bone crushing hug.

"Darcy Potter," Mrs. Weasley sighed, putting her hands on Darcy's cheeks and smiling from ear to ear. "So good to see you again, dear. Wish it could be under different circumstances..." She gripped Darcy tight and Darcy hugged Mrs. Weasley back, nuzzling her face in the older woman's shoulder, feeling like she was being welcomed home by a mother. Close to tears, Mrs. Weasley pulled away and let her husband say hello.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," whispered Darcy, hugging him. Mr. Weasley greeted her, thanking Merlin, and kissed both of her cheeks, something that Darcy always appreciated greatly.

"Kingsley should be here in a few seconds," Mr. Weasley said, his hand still on Darcy's shoulder. They all looked towards the portrait hole as Kingsley finally jumped down into the room, looking around quickly. He spotted Darcy and strided towards her and Lupin. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley walked away quickly towards their children.

"Darcy," breathed Kingsley, attempting to catch his breath, obviously a little shaken. "Where is your brother?"

"He'll be back."

Kingsley stared at her, worried, but knew that she was right. Harry would return - he always did. "It's good to see you both again," he told them in his deep and righteous voice. "All of the Order has heard of your adventures. We are all so proud of you for making it this far." And he bent over, hugging Darcy tightly and shaking Lupin's hand, walking away and searching for other people.

Half an hour passed. Half an hour of nail biting, foot tapping, and racing hearts. Lupin and Darcy sat on another hammock, staring at the door that Harry and Luna had left through, hoping they would return soon. Darcy was about ready to go look for her brother herself, but decided against it, knowing Lupin would never let her go alone. And she didn't want to drag Lupin into more trouble, especially with who knows what kind of people were wandering the corridors of Hogwarts these days.

Darcy thought she heard another voice and looked up hopefully at the entryway, thinking it was Luna who had spoken. But she was wrong. Both she and Lupin turned to the portrait again, wondering who else could come, and when Darcy saw the flash of odd purple, her heart stopped beating. Darcy rose to her feet as Tonks clumsily stumbled from the portrait hole, followed by an elderly woman, who announced that everyone had arrived and Aberforth's portrait was now sealed.

Tonks looked directly at Darcy, not even glancing at Lupin, and she beamed, sprinting towards Darcy and grabbing her hands, hugging her tightly and bouncing up and down. Darcy was shocked that Tonks was treating her so kindly, especially since Lupin had left her to join Darcy on the road. "Darcy, are you okay? What happened? What did I miss? Where's your brother?"

Lupin looked uncomfortable and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, over and over again, looking anywhere but at the two girls beside him. "I'm fine, we're all fine, Tonks," grinned Darcy, glad that she still had a strong connection and friendship with Tonks. "What about you? And Teddy?"

"I've got a picture!"

Lupin snapped his neck towards Tonks as she reached in her pocket and pulled out a small picture of her little boy. She handed it to Darcy and Darcy took it, looking it over. She could not deny the fact she was extremely upset by the fact that Tonks was showing her a picture of Lupin's flesh and blood, but she could also not deny the fact that Teddy was absolutely beautiful. He looked just like his father, except with bright blue, almost turquoise hair. The baby smiled brilliantly up in the picture and laughed, waving his chubby arms everywhere. "Tonks," said Darcy, at a loss for words. She could hardly breathe, for her breath hitched when she saw how much he looked like Lupin. "He - he is so - he's gorgeous."

Looking down at the picture, Lupin smiled a small smile to himself and Tonks did not fail to notice. "He's a handsome little one," Tonks said, quite proud of herself. Darcy handed the picture back and Tonks took it, pocketing it once more. "Takes after his mother, of course. Changes his hair nearly everyday. Last night, it was a hot pink. This morning, it was a bright yellow."

Darcy grinned at her and silently thanked God as the door behind her opened. Harry came speeding through it, his face red and his forehead damp with sweat. Luna exited shortly after Harry, still with the same dreamy look on her face as always. Harry seemed surprised to see so many people now in the small room, but it gave him hope. Almost immediately, everyone quieted to hear what Harry had to say.

"What's happening, Harry?" Lupin asked, pulling on Darcy's hand and jogging up to Harry.

"Voldemort's on his way," Harry shouted, trying to catch his breath. He clutched his chest and took a large breath in. "They're barricading the school and Snape's made a run for it -"

"Snape?" interrupted Darcy and Lupin could not mistake the odd sense of longing in her voice. Was she still convinced he was on their side? After what he had done to Dumbledore? The answer was simple - yes. Darcy had complete faith in Snape, even after what she had heard about Hogwarts. She believed in him.

"All the younger kids are being evacuated," Harry continued. "Everyone else is meeting in the Great Hall and getting ready. We're fighting."

There was no time to shout and roar, even though the crowd wanted to, because one last red head had fallen out of the tunnel and onto the ground. The one Weasley that Darcy had never conversed with before. The one Weasley that everyone spoke badly of. Percy Weasley had come back to fight, spluttering and stammering, hoping he wasn't late. Darcy could have cut the tension with a knife; Mrs. Weasley was staring at her son, almost not believing he was really there.

When Mrs. Weasley embraced her son with a sob, everyone cheered and ran towards the door Harry had just come from. They all rushed past Darcy and Lupin, who had stayed put, not expecting them to move so quickly. She assumed it was going to be organized, but not so much. Harry was pinned against the wall, almost trampled to death by the army he had just met with.

Lupin and Darcy turned to each other. Harry waited for his sister and his friends, looking around the room. For the first time since Harry had left, Darcy now noticed that Hermione and Ron were gone. She did not see Hermione's bushy hair in the crowd. She didn't see Ron's freckled face pass her. Perhaps she had just been oblivious.

"Are you ready?" Lupin asked her quietly, lacing their fingers together and pressing a chaste kiss to her hand.

"Ready as I'll ever be," shrugged Darcy with a sigh. She nodded. "Better to go down fighting than not at all, yeah?"

Lupin smiled weakly and chuckled. "Yeah."

Darcy's eyes filled with tears. They both knew they had to split up; Darcy was Lupin's weakness and he was her's. Together, they would be killed instantly, trying too hard to protect one another. Besides, Darcy and Harry had a mission to complete. Lupin was going to hold off some Death Eaters so they could accomplish the mission Dumbledore had left them. Darcy nodded, silently encouraging herself and she pressed her lips to Lupin's passionately - one last kiss, just in case she didn't return. "I'll be okay," she whispered, wiping her eyes and she kissed Lupin again, this time too softly for his liking. "I'll be back."

Lupin nodded slowly and watched Darcy take off, running up the stairs after Harry. He stood there for a moment, wishing that she hadn't just left. He was so weak without her. He was so helpless. He needed her. If something happened to her and he wasn't there to protect her - that would absolutely kill him. But Darcy depended on him to fight the Death Eaters. Fighting off the Death Eaters was how he was going to protect her.

His fate did not matter to him, it was only Darcy's that was important. She had a chance to make something out of herself. She could go far in life with her abilities and mindset. And after what she was about to achieve with her brother? They had made it so far together and he couldn't just let it all end tonight. Darcy was always telling him that Harry came first, and there she was, going off to fight with him. Lupin was strangely proud of her, sticking by her younger brother and taking care of him all these years. She had stayed true to her promise that family came before Lupin.

He was going to do whatever he could to protect her. For his sake, but mostly for Harry's.


	31. The Diadem

**THE DIADEM.**

Darcy kept up with Harry, running towards the Great Hall. Hogwarts looked the same as it always had, but something was different about it. The castle was dark and ominous and it made Darcy feel, for the first time in her life, uncomfortable. However, the Great Hall was welcoming, the enchanted ceiling littered with bright stars. At each of the four long tables, young and old students were completely silent while looking at Professor McGonagall, some frightened, but some putting on a brave exterior.

"If you are of age, you may stay," Professor McGonagall said, quite exasperated. Darcy's heart warmed when her old Professor met her eyes, smiling weakly.

Not listening to Professor McGonagall anymore, Darcy followed Harry down the narrow pathway between two tables, looking at the Gryffindor table, hoping to see his friends there. Hermione and Ron were nowhere to be found, however. Darcy grabbed Harry's wrist as he reached the end of the table, looking frantic, beginning to panic. His eyes were wide and frightened, staring up at his sister, silently asking for help. She calmed him down as everyone's eyes found the Potter siblings.

But everyone was soon distracted by the voice that filled the Great Hall. The cold hiss of Voldemort's voice, ringing in their ears. Students were screaming, looking all around; Darcy glanced about the room, wondering where the voice was coming from. Her heart was pounding in her chest; Voldemort was close to the castle, possibly hiding inside. Unlike many other students covering their ears and whimpering, Darcy stayed completely still, holding onto her brother, her fingers digging into his skin. Harry held onto her equally as tightly, bruising her arm.

"_I know that you are preparing to fight._" Darcy shut her eyes and listened. "_Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood._" Harry felt his sister's grip on his wrist tighten as if she never wanted to let go of him. Darcy didn't want Harry to leave her sight ever again, afraid that he would get separated from her and find Voldemort himself. "_Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight._"

Voldemort's voice was gone, the Great Hall silent, and Darcy looked up. There wasn't a single person who wasn't focused on Harry. Darcy took notice of this and looked at Harry, who glanced around the room, sneering at everyone who was looking at him hungrily, thinking of turning him into Voldemort. Darcy was about ready to attack everyone who was against Harry. "He's there! Potter's _there_! Someone grab him!" Pansy Parkinson had risen from her seat at the Slytherin table and was pointing at Harry, who looked slightly offended. Harry put on a brave front, but Darcy felt him hold onto her helplessly.

Darcy shielded Harry with her body, standing up straight and puffing her chest out. There was no way that Harry was getting turned over. She grabbed her wand from her pocket and held it out; Darcy's action made the other Gryffindor's act. Every student at the Gryffindor table stood and protected Harry from Pansy, who was still urging her friends to catch him. The Hufflepuffs were next, impressed by Darcy's stand and the Gryffindors, and they circled around Harry, drawing their wands and staring down the Slytherins. Harry could not imagine this ever happening to anyone; the Ravenclaw table had now gained the courage to stand up to the Slytherins and every table was empty except for the one.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Professor McGonagall barked, pointing towards the big doors out of the Great Hall. Darcy knew that if the older professor had not been standing up at the top of the room, she would have joined the others to protect Harry, as well. "You may leave first - if the rest of your House could follow."

The Slytherin table was left completely deserted as they all filed out of the Great Hall. Not a single Slytherin stayed behind to fight, but this did not surprise anyone in the Great Hall. All of the younger students were being escorted out of the castle safely, leaving behind a good small army that Harry definitely needed. However, both Potter siblings knew that their army was nothing in size compared to Voldemort's. In the middle of the crowd and through their excitement, Darcy found Harry again and he grabbed her hands, pulling her out of the way and to the side to talk to her.

"I'm going to find the diadem," said Harry, looking around, hoping Hermione and Ron would appear out of nowhere. Darcy nodded quickly. "Meet me here at ten to midnight, okay?"

"Okay." Darcy's voice was shaky. She didn't want to leave Harry's side. She had protected him for so long and now, during the battle that they had been preparing for, Darcy couldn't protect him any longer.

"Where will you be?" he continued desperately, shaking her and hoping she would become the sister she once was. Harry needed her attitude and courage right then. He needed her to stay sane for his sake. If Darcy was mentally collapsing, Harry didn't think he could stay sane for much longer.

The doors of the Great Hall opened and the Order of the Phoenix walked in, looking around for Harry and Darcy. Harry didn't care - he didn't want to talk to them right now. He ignored them completely. Harry just wanted to make sure his sister was okay and safe and ready to fight. He wanted to see Hermione and Ron. "Outside," replied Darcy, smoothing Harry's hair back, hoping that he wouldn't get into any trouble. "I'll hold the front with the others."

Usually, Harry wouldn't allow Darcy to show such affection towards him, but this was a special occasion and he let her run her fingers through his hair. Harry closed his eyes and pictured his mother standing before him, gently loving him. He had to admit, it felt good to have a sister who cared about him so dearly. Darcy had practically raised Harry, teaching and leading him by example, even though sometimes she wasn't exactly the perfect person. But who was? Harry thought Darcy was close enough to perfect. She tried her hardest, so he had nothing bad to say about her whatsoever. Regardless, Darcy had taught Harry about morals, about love, about family. And they were about to separate from each other for the first time ever, for the first time in a situation like this. Darcy wanted to fight by Harry the entire night, but they both knew that was not an option. They had different duties.

"Ten to midnight," repeated Darcy quietly, her hands falling to her sides. Harry opened his eyes as soon as her hands left him. Her face was somber and she looked completely broken at that moment in time. In all of Harry's years, he had never seen her so damaged. Not during Umbridge's reign, not after Snape killed Dumbledore, not during the whole past year. But now, as they were saying goodbyes. And it killed Harry and shattered his heart.

Harry nodded, wrapping his sister in his arms. She hugged him back tightly, not wanting to let him go. "Be careful," he warned Darcy.

Darcy pulled away from her brother and looked up at him, into the green eyes staring back at her. She touched his cheek gently, flashing him a small smile. "I'll be fine - It's you I need to worry about," she said and that made Harry slightly relieved. "I love you, Harry."

He didn't have to say it back for Darcy to know; Harry kissed her cheek and took one last, long look around the Great Hall before disappearing in the crowd and leaving Darcy to fend for herself. She watched the remaining students file out of the Great Hall, wands ready, faces pale and tired. Someone had grabbed hold of Darcy's arm and was pulling her towards the mass of people. Darcy hardly realized that Lupin was beside her, for she was still worried about Harry. She wasn't going to be there to protect him. Part of her wanted to run after her brother, but she knew that Harry would be furious if she did that, so Darcy decided against it.

Lupin seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, because he said to her, "He'll be okay." Darcy nodded to herself and followed the line of students ready to fight. Professor McGonagall led the Order outside to the courtyard of Hogwarts, lifting her wand.

Darcy did not need to be told what to do, for she already knew. Lupin by her side, she raised her wand and began muttering, "_Protego Maxima... Fianto Duri... Repello Inimigotum... Protego Horribilis..._" She repeated the incantations over and over again as Lupin did the same, as well as Professor Flitwick, Professor Slughorn, and Mrs. Weasley. A giant, bright light blanketed the castle, barely protecting it from what was about to come their way. Darcy knew that it would not keep Voldemort and his followers out, but it would give her side extra time to plan and fight back.

The ground beneath Darcy's feet shook and rattled and she looked over her shoulder, seeing the statues that had guarded Hogwarts coming to life. They marched in two, single-file lines towards the bridge that led straight to the entrance, brandishing their stone weapons. Extra students getting prepared for Voldemort's attack watched in awe as the older wizards and witches worked their more powerful magic, attempting to protect everyone at all costs.

Lupin looked at Darcy, pursing his lips. Darcy was staring off into the distance, towards the edge of a cliff, where an entire army of men and women in black cloaks stood. This was it. Darcy was sure she was going to die fighting. She was going to die a soldier in a war she never wanted to fight in. Was Lupin right? Was this such an honorable death? To die fighting? She breathed in deeply and met Lupin's eyes. He gave her a sad look and she frowned.

And seemingly, all at once, bright lights sped from the tips of hundreds of wands, heading straight towards Hogwarts. Darcy stood her ground, gripping her wand tightly and gritting her teeth. As the lights hit the protection around the school, the explosions lit the night sky, making it seem as if it were daylight. The noise was deafening, Darcy's ears were ringing, but she didn't have time to think about that. All she could do was wait. Wait for the protections to break and falter. Wait for Voldemort and the Death Eaters to approach closer so she would have a better shot at attacking...

And then, out of one single wand came a strong beam, headed straight for the castle. It burst against the protective enchantments, nearly burning them to ashes. The protection was breaking and crumbling, slowly leaving the entire school defenseless and vulnerable. Voldemort had penetrated their defenses and every magical creature Darcy could imagine was running towards them all, ready to kill.

While Darcy wasn't paying attention, a Death Eater had shot a curse at her, attempting to kill her, but she dodged it just barely, Stunning him. She tried to find a familiar face in the crowd, one of her friends, but no one except her old professors were recognizable."Darcy!" shouted Lupin over the many spells being fired and the stomping of Giants. She ducked as a Giant swung its club at her. Pushing herself to her feet again, Darcy moved closer to Lupin, spells shooting from the end of her wand every second. "Go find Harry!"

"Are you mad?" she screamed at him, firing another spell at a Death Eater trying to sneak up on her. "And leave you here by yourself?"

"We're fine out here!" retorted Lupin, nodding towards the big, lit doors of Hogwarts. There were plenty of students and professors fighting - but Darcy had to be there. She couldn't just leave. "Go find him!"

Darcy hesitated, looking at Lupin. She was worried about Harry, of course, but Lupin, as well. But she had repeated it to him over and over and over: _Family comes first_. And Harry was her responsibility. She had to make sure that he was safe. That was her duty - the reason she was alive.

Lupin stared at Darcy, ignoring the battles around them. To Darcy, it felt as if simply seeing him made her safe. The entire world around her crashed down and it was just the two of them. But Lupin looked helplessly at her, completely broken. He felt so incredibly useless at that moment, wondering how he was going to do his part in this war. What was the point? There were so many wizards and witches fighting, but they were outnumbered by Voldemort's army. They were outnumbered _and_ overpowered. There was a slight chance they were going to win, but what was that slight deciding factor? A seventeen-year-old wizard and his older sister? There were so many things they didn't know that Voldemort and the Death Eaters did. But they had made it that far, so why couldn't they push a little harder and a little farther? All the hope that Lupin once had was gone and, even though he believed in Darcy, he knew that she wasn't the most powerful witch he had seen. There was nothing extraordinary about her magical ability. There was nothing extraordinary about her magic at all. But she was smart and she could think quickly on her feet, and that was the reason she had made it so far.

And while her magic was not extraordinary, Darcy was. If she were to be killed, the entire world would erupt. Witches and wizards all over the globe would lose hope, just as Lupin had. Darcy had a reason to keep fighting; the wizarding world depended on her and her brother and she couldn't give up because she was the figurehead. She was leading this war with her kid brother, which was a huge responsibility for a young woman like herself. Darcy had a purpose. Harry had kept her sane and her followers kept her going.

But what of Lupin? He was one man in a world of billions. He was a werewolf. An old man who had no money and no security with a child born to a woman he wasn't in love with. There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to be a casualty of the war. Death Eaters were killing whoever they wanted, whoever stood in their way. Lupin was of no importance to them. They didn't care. If he was in the wrong spot, they would fire a bunch of spells at him until he lay still on the ground. Why was he still fighting? What was the point of him carrying on? If he were to die right then, nothing would change. The world would not be upset or disappointed - they wouldn't even take notice that a thirty-something werewolf was dead. But then it hit him as Darcy ran up and kissed him forcefully on the mouth.

He was important to _her_. If he died, Darcy's world would come to a stop. She would cry for weeks. Maybe months. Lupin didn't know how long it would take for Darcy to start loving again. He knew for a fact that she loved him and never stopped since the first time they spoke the words. Lupin was carrying on because of _her_ and because of _her_ love for _him_. And because of _his_ love for _her_. Just as Harry was her responsibility, Darcy was Lupin's. So he wasn't as important to the world as Darcy was, but even though Lupin was just one man - one small, normal man - he knew that someone relied on him. Someone loved him more than life itself. And someone was willing to keep fighting for him. So he was going to return the favor and fight back.

_"What I feel for you is not infatuation," he whispered, holding Darcy tightly. "It's actually – well, I love you. I love you, Darcy Potter." _

Lupin could remember how violently her hands had been shaking. He remembered how her wide eyes stared up into his and how confused and lost he had gotten staring back into them. He remembered how this young girl - his best friend's daughter - had changed his life and made him a better man. A stronger man. A dedicated man. The way her hands felt when intertwined with his, the way her smile made his heart race against his chest - it was incredible. She had remained faithful to him since that day and what was he supposed to do when Darcy left him? He was unsure of her fate. And that's what scared him the most. If something were to happen, he wouldn't be there to protect her...

Darcy pulled away from Lupin's lips and turned the other way, running quickly through the crowd of students and professors. She fought off Death Eaters that pointed their wands at her, dodged spells that had been shot her way, and knocked out a few Snatchers by throwing her elbows everywhere. Running up to the marble staircase, students ran all around her, pushing her into person after person. Dizzy from being hit by fists and elbows, Darcy felt someone grab her arm and pull hard. Ginny had balanced Darcy on her feet again and the two girls stood there as Darcy focused.

"Where's Harry?" asked Darcy loudly. Ginny was quite glad that Darcy wasn't yelling at her, telling her to get away from all the action. Darcy placed her hands on Ginny's shoulders and shook her slightly, desperate for information.

"Room of Requirement!" shouted Ginny, holding Darcy still for a few more seconds.

Nodding, Darcy ran from Ginny, leaving the youngest Weasley alone. Pushing through all her old friends, Darcy bolted up the stairs, hoping that Harry wasn't in any trouble. The castle was shaking horribly, dust and debris falling from the collapsing ceiling. Darcy couldn't recall ever running so fast in her entire life and even though her legs were threatening to give out, she carried on, almost at the room of requirement.

Bursting into the room where she had been safe only a little while ago, Darcy wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. Harry was staring at her, his head tilted, slightly confused. Hermione and Ron were standing beside him, their arms full of giant, old fangs - "Are those -?" Darcy wasn't sure how to continue. How would they have gotten basilisk fangs? "How did you get into - Parseltongue?"

Ron nodded and Darcy looked away, not needing any explanation. It didn't matter how they had gotten the basilisk fangs. All that mattered is that they had them right there and because they had them, Darcy knew that the cup had been destroyed already. That made her feel much better. "We need to get into the room where everything is hidden," Harry told his sister, leading her out of the Room of Requirement. "That's where the diadem is. I'm sure of it." He did not question why Darcy was there or why she had left her position out front. Harry was, in fact, quite glad that she was there because everything would be easier together.

Peering out of a nearby window in the corridor, Darcy looked down at the courtyard and saw flashes of different colored lights from all sides of the ground. Red, blue, green, you name it. Duels were going on, skillful wizards and witches defending their friends and allies. Her eyes scanned the courtyard for Lupin, but she could not find him in the mess of people. The castle was in horrible shape and Darcy wanted to get out of there before it fell in and crushed them all. However, Darcy was more focused on getting the Horcrux. As the door to old safe room closed and disappeared in the wall, Harry shut his eyes and silently asked for the room he needed.

Another door materialized and all four of them ran through, the door shutting behind them and leaving them in complete silence. Darcy could only hear her heartbeat and the crunching of glass underneath her shoes on the ground. They looked around, not moving too far from each other, but the room was littered with old antiques and garbage. It was spacious, but cluttered, and there was no way they were going to find the Horcrux by just standing there.

"Come on," Harry urged his friends, nodding towards the back of the room. "We need to split up if we're going to find it. Stone - statue - wig - tiara -"

Harry was muttered under his breath, repeating the words to himself, but Hermione had gone before Harry said anything else. She was already running up a pathway, towards the back of the room. Ron had gone a separate way, as well, leaving Harry and Darcy to themselves. She could hear her two friends looking through all the objects, for the crashing and the echoing was deafening.

Leaving her brother for a few more small moments, Darcy leapt up onto a pile of garbage and began to pull herself up, towards a stone bust. As she neared the top, she sighed in disappointment, as the bust was not holding up a tiara, but a Slytherin scarf wrapped tightly around its neck. Darcy slid back to the ground and Harry collapsed to his knees. Clutching his forehead, begging for the burning pain to stop, Darcy pulled him back up to his feet. "Over there," he managed to spit out and urged Darcy to go on. Hesitantly, she let her brother go, running towards the single wooden cabinet towards the back of the room.

Darcy caught a glimmer from the corner of her eye. Her head snapped to the top of the wardrobe and she saw it sitting there, waiting for her to pick it up, inviting her to destroy it. Looking for a spot to place her foot on the soft wood, Darcy sighed and attempted to haul herself up with her arm strength. Just as she felt her way around the top and wrapped her fingers around the diadem, someone pulled her ankle, causing her to crash to the ground, barely catching the tiara before it crashed into another pile of junk. She had no time to look up at see who was holding her by the back of her shirt, their wand to the small of her back. Keeping herself calm, she watched the lanky blonde boy pointing his wand at her and Harry; Ron and Hermione had returned suddenly, putting themselves in a compromising situation, their eyes widening.

"Hold it, Potter."


	32. The First Cut is the Deepest

Sorry this chapter is short, but I'm super excited for the next chapter... And you all know who is dying next... Also,sorry for typos - I typed most of it on my iPad!

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><p><strong>THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST.<strong>

"What'cha got in your hands there, Potter?" spat Crabbe and Darcy realized that he was the one holding Darcy, for his voice flooded her ears and spit landed on the back of her neck. She flinched, but held onto the diadem tighter, cradling it to her chest. She would not give that thing up to save her life. Goyle took two steps closer to Darcy, looking at the ancient crown in her hands and raising his eyebrows.

Crabbe's wand twisted and pushed harder into Darcy's back and she was sweating profusely, wondering when Harry would Stun them all so they could get away. Feeling Darcy squirm, Crabbe cackled.

"There's no gettin' away this time, Potter," he snarled. "We been waitin' for you. Decided to hang back and bring you to the Dark Lord 'imself."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had not spotted Ron and Hermione, who were hiding behind a huge stack of worthless items. Ron held onto Hermione tightly, shielding her from spells just in case a fight broke out. Darcy gave them a sideways look, wondering if she should toss them the diadem, but she didn't want to draw attention to her two friends and put them in anymore danger.

"That is brilliant," Harry gave Crabbe a slow clap and Malfoy scrunched his nose. "Come up with that plan by yourself, mate?"

Crabbe's voice changed from deep to high-pitched, mocking Harry. "Come up with that plan yourself, mate?" he cackled and Harry made eye contact with his sister.

From a short, meaningful glance from Harry, Darcy knew immediately that he was waiting for her to toss him the diadem. The way his eyes flicked to the crown and the way his fingers moved slowly was a good enough indication. Darcy knew that Crabbe would not kill her - Voldemort would have been furious - so dying was not worrying Darcy at the moment whatsoever. It was the torture or pain that Crabbe was about to put her through that she was worried about. She swallowed and grasped the crown, throwing it like a frisbee towards Harry very quickly.

Crabbe was still snorting like a pig, holding his wand to Darcy, and when he realized what had just happened, he snapped back to reality and shouted, "Potter, no! - Crucio!"

A searing pain shot through Darcy's body and she dropped to the ground, screaming out in agony. The pain was nearly unbearable and she thought that if Crabbe did not stop soon, she was going to die. She wanted to rip her hair out, claw her skin off and reach the core of the pain that made its way to her fingertips and toes. As she squirmed on the ground, her face turning blue, the veins popping from her neck, Goyle sent a spell towards Harry. Harry lunged, diving behind a pile of items and as the spell bounced off a wooden chair, the force knocked the diadem out of Harry's hands and sent it soaring up to the top of the pile. Swearing at himself, Harry tried to spot the tiara, but couldn't, so he ran back over to help his sister, but was interrupted by Malfoy.

"STOP!" yelled Malfoy to Crabbe, shooting a spell at him and knocking the wand from his friend's hand. Crabbe's wand flew from his hand, a surprised look on his face, and Darcy calmed down, the pain leaving her body. "Don't kill her, you idiot! The Dark Lord specifically said -!"

A jet of blue light soared overtop of Darcy's limp body on the ground and as she slowly gathered the strength to push herself back up, she saw Crabbe stumbling backwards, hit by Hermione's sudden Stunning spell. Her whole body was trembling, but she knew she couldn't just lay there. Afraid that Crabbe was going to retaliate, Darcy, with newfound motivation, jumped to her shaky feet and dove towards Harry, out of the line of fire, her body still tingling. She heard Crabbe and Goyle shooting Killing Curses towards them all and missing horribly, and Malfoy was in a frenzy, begging loudly for them to stop and not to kill them.

"Where's the diadem?" asked Darcy desperately, trying to claw through all the garbage. The diadem had been lost from sight and Harry's face turned slightly pink due to him losing it. Darcy wasn't angry or upset, she was just in a hurry, trying to find the diadem before she was either killed or Malfoy got his hands on it. Harry didn't answer his sister, but let her look for the crown, as he kept watch and continued to shoot spells at Crabbe and Goyle, stalling them and keeping them from coming too close. Darcy's back ached from the curse Crabbe had just used on her, but she ignored it; she had experienced worse pain before and there was no time to rest.

Then, Hermione screamed, and Darcy's heart sank. She was halfway up the tower of once valuables and jumped down, needing to find Hermione. The last time she had heard Hermione scream like that was at the Malfoy Manor when Bellatrix was torturing her - "DARCY! DARCY!"

The temperature of the Room of the Requirement somehow got hotter and as Darcy rounded the corner, she saw what Hermione was screaming about. Fire was spilling out of Crabbe's wand uncontrollably and the once cocky and arrogant face was now twisted and scared. He pitched his wand among the room, throwing it as far as he could, but it did not go as far as he had hoped. Without hesitating, Crabbe ran past Harry and Darcy, towards the doorway back into the Hogwarts corridor. Ron was following Crabbe, running at his heels, but Hermione was frozen in place, staring up at the giant fire that was now out of control.

Harry was standing still, looking up at the roaring fire that was growing closer. Darcy grumbled to herself and ran over to Hermione, pulling at her hand and pushing her towards Harry, giving her a slight head start. Darcy was dripping sweat, the fire getting closer to her, and she continually tried to put the fire out with different spells, firing them over her shoulder, but none worked. Darcy had no idea how to put the fire out and she had no idea what kind of magic Crabbe knew that she didn't. The fire destroyed everything in its path, taking on the shapes of magical creatures, chasing the wizards and witches towards the exit.

Darcy bolted down a pathway, but saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione surrounded by the fire, the door unable to be reached. She began to panic, looking around for another way out, but there was no way. The fire was encircling them. Looking around, Darcy did not see Malfoy, Crabbe, or Goyle, and she began to wonder if the fire had already eaten them up. Her stomach began to churn... No one deserved to die like that...

"Darcy!"

Darcy heard her brother shout over the roaring of the flames and she looked at him. Harry threw a large, fat broomstick at her and she looked down at it in horror. "Harry, I can't ride a broomstick!"

"Perfect opportunity to learn!" shrugged Harry, mounting his broomstick. Ron was clambering onto his, Hermione holding onto his waist tightly, her face darkened by the thick smoke. Darcy followed everyone else, grabbing onto the end of her broomstick and trying to remember back to when Oliver attempted to teach her to fly... What had Charlie done? Kicking off the hot ground, Darcy flew into the air, very unsteady on her broomstick, holding on so tightly that her knuckles were turning white.

This isn't bad, she thought to herself. That was until she looked down and saw how high she was off the ground. And the fire guzzling everything in sight. That was enough for Darcy to nearly fall off, but she regained balance and floated for a moment, waiting for Harry to move. But he didn't and Darcy began to lose her mind, screaming at her brother to move.

She quieted when a piercing and desperate scream echoed throughout the flaming room. It was the horrible scream of Draco Malfoy, calling out for help, afraid and deafening. Darcy knew that they could not leave Malfoy in the room to die; perhaps she could let his friends die, but Malfoy wasn't like them. And she knew that for sure. Malfoy was just a boy, a boy Harry's age. She couldn't leave him there. So when Harry looked at her, she knew that he was thinking the same exact thing.

Harry was a much more talented broomstick rider than she, but as Harry bolted off towards the screaming, Darcy attempted to follow him, Ron and Hermione shouting at them from behind. Through the smoke and fire, the two siblings tried to find Malfoy and his friends. It was a nearly impossible task, however, Harry spotted two silhouettes and he approached Darcy, speaking loudly and frantically. "Goyle -" he spat, sweating buckets. "I'll get Goyle; it's more weight on my broomstick."

Darcy nodded and looked towards the two. Crabbe was nowhere to be found, but it didn't boer Darcy as much as it should have. The fire had probably already swallowed him up and fried him to a crisp. She watched Malfoy plead for them to save him, hiding up on top of a large pile of collectibles. Slowly, the fire was reaching his feet, his shoes, melting them. Holding onto her broomstick tightly, Darcy knew there was no room for error at that point. One stupid mistake and she was dead, along with Malfoy. And what a horrible way to die in war - not a casualty of battle, but simply because she couldn't ride a damn broomstick.

Harry swooped down first and loaded Goyle on the back of his broomstick, rushing towards the door blocked by flames. Malfoy was horrified by Darcy's hesitation and called her name, pleading for her help. Holding her breath, Darcy steered the broomstick towards the blonde and tried to grip his hand. Malfoy's sweaty hand slipped from her's, but he grabbed hold of her sleeve and hoisted himself up on her broomstick, nearly causing her to crash into the fire, only to suffer the same fate as Crabbe. However, Malfoy, being also more talented than she, helped fly them towards safety. With one hand wrapped deathly tight around her waist, Malfoy took hold of the broomstick and Darcy felt confident and able. She went faster, her hair blowing in Malfoy's face.

She could see Harry and Goyle up ahead, almost to the bright lights of the Hogwarts corridor. And in an instant, Darcy closed her eyes in relief, reaching safety and clean air, and she could hear the doors closing behind her. Malfoy's arm retreated from the broomstick and he was hugging her with both arms, whimpering and sobbing. Darcy lost control of the broomstick and screamed as she and Malfoy were thrown off, colliding on the ground, nearly attached at the hip. She moaned and rubbed her head and looked down at Malfoy, who had buried his face in her shoulder, quietly repeating Crabbe's name over and over again. Darcy didn't dare touch him; she waited for Malfoy to calm down and realize who he was holding onto so helplessly.

Everyone was coughing and wheezing, wiping sweat from their face. But they stood up quickly and Darcy finally pushed Malfoy off her. There was still a war going on and there was no time for rest. Malfoy crawled over to Goyle, who was unconscious and they huddled together by the wall.

"Where's the diadem, Harry?" Darcy hissed, looking around in a panic.

Harry was clenching his sides, breathing heavily. He raised his left hand and revealed to Darcy the diadem around his wrist. Her eyes widened as the tiara leaked black liquid, almost as if bleeding. She didn't have to inquire any further - the Horcrux was done for. It was breaking and falling apart in his hands, clanking on the stone floor.

"The snake," heaved Hermione, her bushy hair even more messy and frizzy than ever. "The snake is all we need-"

"Heads up, Darcy, love!"

Fred had appeard from nowhere, pushing Darcy out of the way of a Killing Curse. Her heart raced and pounded against her chest as she fell to the floor. Death Eaters had made their way inside Hogwarts, closer to capturing the Potter siblings. Percy Weasley had joined his younger brother in a separate duel against another hooded Death Eater.

Darcy felt the ground, looking around for her wand, which she had lost after falling off her broomstick. Finally spotting it, she lunged for it, wrapping her blistered fingers around her weapon, but before she was able to cast a spell, there was a large explosion that made her ears ring. She shut her eyes, hoping to stay conscious, pinned against the wall. Blood spilled from her nose, but she wiped it away, not worrying too much about a nosebleed. Opening her eyes, she saw Harry half bured under debris from the blown out wall of Hogwarts, revealing the courtyard to them all.

She pushed herself to her feet, breathing heavily, looking around for her friends. Harry was okay, pulling himself out of the wreckage. Hermione was beside Harry, taking her friend's hand to help her stand. When she turned and looked to her left, she screamed a scream that Harry knew he would never forget. She covered her mouth and tears began falling from her eyes like waterfalls, holding back her screams. Falling to the floor again, Darcy pulled her knees to her chest and ran a hand through her hair, not sure what to do. She was not prepared for this. She was not ready.

Still crying and trembling, Darcy crawled towards the first friend of her's to be a casualty. A slight smile was fixed on Fred Weasley's face, his eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling. Percy was lying across Fred and Ron had stumbled over, his face blank and void of all emotions. He dropped to his knees beside Percy.

Darcy felt the whole world crash and burn around her. "Fred..." She whispered it over and over, touching his face and his hair, hoping for a response. She half expected him to wake up and start cackling, as if it was supposed to be a sick joke. But he didn't move. He wasn't breathing, he wouldn't blink or hold her hand or hug her.

Harry placed a hand on Darcy's shoulder and they mourned for a few more moments before deciding their next plan of action. Suddenly, Darcy stood up and without even speaking, hurled a deadly looking spell towards the opposite wall, blasting a giant hole big enough for Grawp. She screamed and blasted one more wall open as Hermione sat back and watched her sadly.

Growling obscenities, Darcy turned back and looked towards Fred one last time. No one else was going to die. She wasn't about to lose any other loved ones if it killed her.


	33. Bloody Hands and Watery Eyes

**BLOODY HANDS AND WATERY EYES.**

Finally finding Lupin, Tonks had hurried him into an abandoned classroom with shattered windows and books strewn all over the ground. She locked the door with her wand, even though she knew no spell could keep out a Death Eater definitely or whoever else was set on killing them.

Lupin was huffing and puffing, covered in dirt and blood (some of which wasn't his). He had lost count of how many enemies he had Stunned, Transfigured, and killed. His mind was racing, thoughts of Darcy's lifeless face haunting him. It had been a while since he had seen her, but something in his gut told him that she and Harry were okay and alive. The battle was still raging on, so one of them had to be alive. Voldemort would have announced the death of a Potter - right? That's what his brain told him and he chose to believe it. He had to believe it to keep himself fighting.

Tonks stood before one of the broken, stained glass windows on the far side of the room, overlooking the Forbidden Forest, where giant spiders were running towards Hogwarts, their red eyes huge and intimidating. Dementors, too, had invaded and Tonks saw all kinds of silvery animals running across the school grounds. She turned back to Lupin and he stared at her, taking deep breaths and catching his breath. His hair was greasy and wet from sweat and a large gash on his cheek was covered in dried blood. "You've spoken to Darcy?" she asked hesitantly, gripping her wand tightly just in case they were to be attacked randomly.

Lupin nodded very slowly. "Yes."

"She was going after him," Tonks sighed, obviously referring to Voldemort. "This whole time. She was trying to defeat him."

"I know."

"That's awfully brave of her." Tonks looked out the window again and pursed her lips. "She's still very young. I don't think I would have done that. I'm not as brave as her."

"Darcy possesses qualities that you do not," Lupin told Tonks and she looked heartbroken. "And you posses qualities that she does not. But do not think that her bravery makes her more important than you." While Lupin loved Darcy, he still cared for Tonks dearly. After all, she had birthed their son and stuck by his side during hard times. Tonks was a brilliant woman, but not the one for Lupin. And he needed Tonks to know that she was brilliant. "Every person has their own traits that make them extraordinary. Everyone is extraordinary."

"If that was true, then no one would be."

Lupin half smiled, enjoying her sense of humor. She chuckled quietly and then a pregnant silence fell upon the two. "I am truly sorry, Dora," whispered Lupin, shaking his head, seeming to be scolding himself. "You put me in a situation that I was never prepared for and I know I handled it terribly. I'm an old man, soon to be a casualty of this war. And know that no matter what happens, I will always be here for you and Teddy."

"Darling Teddy," Tonks replied with a loving sigh. She thought of her son, at home, safe and sound from danger. He was the most beautiful creature, especially because - Tonks thought - Lupin fathered him. "I hope he grows to be like you someday."

"I don't think there would be anything wrong with him if he grew to be like you."

"Yes, well, the saying goes, 'like father, like son.' Right?"

Lupin bit the inside of his cheek and heard banging outside the classroom, distracting him from Tonks. He faced the wooden door and backed up towards the window that Tonks was standing at. The banging soon sounded closer and Lupin assumed someone or something was attempting to break the door down. He shielded Tonks with his body, not wanting Teddy's mother to die a bloody and brutal death. He had to keep her alive at all costs.

As the door began to rattle on its hinges, Lupin shouted, "Stay back!" The door collapsed and wooden pieces flew everywhere, dangerous shrapnel hitting the walls and floor. A single Death Eater had found Lupin and Tonks. Lupin was sure he could fight him off. He stepped forward and held his wand up, shooting a spell at the Death Eater and telling Tonks to run. He did not see her bolt for the door, instead focused on the Death Eater blocking and repelling his spells. Lupin heard Tonks whimper behind him and rage surged inside him. Finally catching the enemy off guard, Lupin Stunned him and sent him flying out of the broken window. There was a scream and a thud and he knew the Death Eater had fallen to his death. "Dora?" There was panic in his voice as he spun around, looking in the corners to see where Tonks had been hiding.

And there she was. Lying on the ground, half sitting against a severely damaged wall. Her face was pale - too pale - and she was coughing up blood. Her lips were stained red and her hair had changed to a dull brown, no longer energetic and alive. Breathing staggered, Lupin ran to Tonks and knelt down, lifting her arm carefully to reveal a bloody torso. Immediately, he knew that it had been one of his spells that ricocheted and hit her. No, no, no - it couldn't have been his fault...

"Dora... No, I'm sorry -"

"I'm okay," said Tonks, smiling weakly up at Lupin. She took his hand and he didn't let go, not wanting to hurt her any further. It was painful to watch her suffer, to be in so much agony at his expense. "I'm okay, Remus." Her eyes flicked to Lupin's lips. Touching his lips with her fingers, Tonks sighed and she groaned, "Kiss me."

Lupin thought about it for a moment, wiping the blood from Tonks' lips. Darcy didn't have to know. Tonks was dying in front of him, because of a spell he had casted - he owed it to her, right? After getting her pregnant and leaving her for another girl... Tonks deserved this dying kiss, right? Everything was telling him to just kiss her. Make her happy in her dying moments. It wasn't fair to leave her hanging and heartbroken.

"It'll be our secret," she gasped, biting her bottom lip softly, patiently awaiting Lupin's kiss. "What's that saying... Two can keep a secret if one of them dies a horrible, undeserving death?"

They both shared a laugh. "It's something like that," Lupin answered, but when he touched her cheek and leaned into kiss her, Tonks had stopped laughing. She was still warm, but unmoving. Her eyes stared into his and he noticed that her grip on his hand was almost non-existent. "Dora? Dora? Nymphadora?" Gently slapping Tonks' cheek, he hoped that she would wake, but he began to shake horribly, knowing that the worst had happened. "Dora, please - please wake up..."

But she didn't. She didn't respond to his touch or his voice or the warmth of his body pressed against her own. All heat seemed to slowly fade from Tonks' body. Lupin looked down at her and held her in his arms, crying fat tears. The girl in his arms - the mother of his only child - all she wanted was for Lupin to love her and he couldn't even do that right. He had just killed her. There was no doubt in his mind that she didn't deserve to die. It should have been him. It should have been him to die like that. In pain, suffering for all the pain he caused other people. Especially Tonks. And especially Darcy.

Darcy.

Lupin stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes, thinking of Darcy. He would not let her suffer the same fate as Tonks. He had to protect her from everything now. That poor girl had seen too much and he now took it as his duty to shield her and shelter her. Lupin had to find Darcy and queue key, before something terrible happened.

Kneeling down again, Lupin sat Tonks up against the wall and closed her eyes, making her seem at peace. Silently promising he would return for her body, he stood and took one last, long look at her before running from the room and into the battlefield yet again.

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><p>Hermione kept Ron in tact as Percy ran off to seek revenge on his younger brother. Ron was in a fury, punching the air and casting miscellaneous spells at nothing in particular. Darcy had calmed herself down, her insides still boiling, but she kept a calm exterior, trying to set an example for everyone else.<p>

"The snake," Hermione had reminded them. "We kill the snake, and we can end it!"

But how were they supposed to find the snake? There were so many other things going on, for example, the massive spiders heading straight towards the Hogwarts entrance. Four people didn't have to go after the snake, did they? As much as Darcy wanted to help her friends, she wanted to find Lupin. Seeing Fred lifeless made her worried. How many other people had been killed? How many people that she loved? She was afraid that the battle would end and she would finally see all the casualties. All the people that laid their lives down for her and her brother. Darcy truly believed herself to be the reason for all these pointless deaths.

"Look inside him, Harry!" urged Hermione.

Harry hesitated and Darcy looked at her brother. He put a finger to his burning scar and closed his eyes tight, his face twisting into one in pain. It seemed like a lifetime before Harry opened his eyes and took in a huge breath, as if he had run a marathon. His eyes were wide and fearful, innocent and tired. He leaned against Darcy for support and she held him up, glad that Harry was alive, at least.

"He's in the Shrieking Shack," Harry told his friends. "And - and he's got Nagini. He's sent Lucius Malfoy to find Snape."

At the mention of Snape, everyone's eyes found Darcy, who was deep in thought. Why would Voldemort want Snape? "We need to go," Darcy gasped, licking her lips and grabbing Harry's upper arm. "We need to go now to the Shrieking Shack."

Harry knew that her reasoning for wanting to go was very different from his, but he didn't want to disagree with her suggestion. Of course, they had to go, but how would they kill the snake if Voldemort was just sitting there, waiting for them to come to him? "Don't tell me you still trust Snape..." Harry said, just to his sister.

Darcy stared at him for a long time, finally building up the courage to speak about her feelings towards Snape. "It'll be okay - he can help us, Harry. He can really help us."

"Darcy, look what he's done to Hogwarts. Look at what happened to all our friends. To Dumbledore," Harry tried to reason with her, but he knew Darcy better than anyone. She was one of the most stubborn people he knew. "Snape can't be trusted and you know that."

"It doesn't matter if he can be trusted or not," she snapped, a little louder so everyone could hear her. "If you think you're going to kill that snake, well, we have to go up there. There's no other option."

Harry nodded and looked to his other friends for approval. Hermione and Ron said nothing, knowing that Darcy was right. If they wanted to kill the snake, they had to go to Voldemort. But there were ways of doing it sneakily, kind of. Voldemort would know when Harry was close to him, right? It was the only shot they were going to get, so they were going to take it. And when they killed the snake, Darcy would come back into Hogwarts and search for Lupin. Make sure he was alive and well. She could fix up a few battle wounds. As long as he was alive, she would be happy.

The four took off, Darcy leading them towards the courtyard and to the Whomping Willow, extremely eager, yet anxious, to see Snape and what kind of man he had transformed into. Through giant spider legs, Darcy had to dodge huge, giant clubs, curses and hexes, dementors, and even Snatchers. She retaliated, firing spell after spell, wearing herself out, and even Harry could tell she was physically exhausted and emotionally drained. However, she continued to fight and carried on, not slowing down until she reached the Whomping Willow.

Memories came flooding back as she was briefly reminded of her years teaching and attending Hogwarts. The rare times when she would sneak into the Shrieking Shack to watch after Lupin. The night she followed him outside only to find out what he really was. And at that moment, she missed Hogwarts more than ever. She looked over her shoulder at the burning and broken school, missing walls and parts of the roof. All around the exterior, colorful lights brightened up the sky, curses being shot from everyone's wands made it seem like fireworks were going off.

Turning back, Darcy saw Ron already taking his wand out and freezing the Whomping Willow with a large stick a few feet ahead of the four. Darcy toyed with her wand, becoming extremely nervous. There were several outcomes to what was ahead, and in her mind, none of them turned out positively. There was situation A: Meet Voldemort in the Shrieking Shack and be killed. Then situation B: Meet Snape in the Shrieking Shack and be killed. There was no situation C in Darcy's mind. It was stupid of her to think going after the snake was a good, rational idea. If hiding out in hidden forests for a year was a suicide mission, what was this? A kamikaze mission? They were all about to crash and burn. And so many more people would be killed by Voldemort and his army.

This inspired Darcy; thinking only of killing the snake and saving lives, she dove towards the passageway at the bottom of the attacking tree and slid down the small slant before touching ground and smacking her head off the ceiling. She had never really realized how small the passage had been or how much she had grown since her last year.

Continuing through the tunnel with no source of light but her wand, Harry followed Darcy closely. It seemed endless and sketchy, but Darcy didn't say anything, not wanting to scare anyone else. Although, she was sure they were all just as terrified as she...

When Harry noticed a small light from up ahead, he grabbed Darcy's shirt and tugged, stopping her in her tracks. He whispered for her to put her light out and she followed orders, quietly moving towards the run down, abandoned building. There was no way they could have gotten into the building without being caught, so Darcy listened carefully from just below the opening into the Shrieking Shack. A crate had been placed there at the opening, but Darcy could see through the cracks and could hear the voices speaking just fine.

Snape was standing before Voldemort. Nagini circled the more powerful wizard, hissing and curling around the chair Voldemort was sitting in. It bothered Darcy how close Snape was to her. Only a few small feet, maybe three or four. She covered her mouth so he wouldn't hear her labored breathing.

"Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?" Voldemort's high pitched voice gave Darcy chills.

"My Lord?" Snape replied, sounding slightly confused. "You have performed extraordinary magic with that wand."

And there it was. Darcy's heart dropped. She had been wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Wrong to trust Snape. Wrong to believe there was still some good in him. She rejected the truth when she should have believed it. And it was painfully obvious who Snape was truly loyal to and it wasn't Dumbledore. It wasn't the Potter siblings. It was Voldemort. And it always had been. The sheer disappointment was enough to kill Darcy. She thought she was dead for a moment, for she couldn't hear or think or feel. She just - was. She was just there, not doing anything but hating herself for being so damn stubborn.

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore."

Snape spoke quickly, protesting. "My Lord!"

Voldemort did not take the time to compromise. He waved his wand in the air quickly and hissed something under his breath that Darcy couldn't understand or hear. And suddenly, without warning, Nagini lunged for Snape and attacked several times. Darcy drew in a deep, silent breath, biting down on her knuckles. Harry's hand held onto her free hand and squeezed it tight as Voldemort muttered, "I regret it." Within seconds of Snape's attack, Voldemort disappeared.

Darcy knocked the crate out of the way and hoisted herself up to Harry's disapproving pleads. She hustled to Snape, making sure he saw her. She held her hands up to the bloody wounds, trying to stop them, trying to save him. Even though she had been disappointed and let down seconds earlier, there was no way Darcy was about to let Snape die. He had been good to her over the past few years. She was safe at the moment. No one was about to kill her.

Darcy began to panic and sweat even more. Tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably and Ron stuck out an arm to hold back Harry and Hermione from following her to Snape's side. They stood a few feet back, watching the eldest Potter as her back jumped with each dry sob, holding each other. Darcy had to keep switching hands and wiping them free of blood, but the wounds would not stop bleeding.

"No, no..." pleaded Darcy. She clung to Snape's arm and held the bleeding gash in his neck as Harry stood helplessly behind her. He stared at his sister and noticed that she looked more broken at that moment than he had ever seen her before. First Fred and now Snape?

Darcy glanced at Harry over her shoulder and he saw the look in her eyes. He had never seen that look before. Not when she saw Lupin get married. Not when she heard that Tonks was having a baby. Not when she saw her parents' gravestone. No, this was something else - something so incredibly painful that Harry felt his heart shatter into millions of pieces. There was a certain longing in her eyes, begging Harry silently to help her, but he knew there was nothing to do to help Snape anymore. There was nothing anyone could do but sit there and wait for Snape to quietly close his eyes and cease to move. And the fact that Darcy was there, holding onto Snape for dear life, after everything she had watched happen to him, was horrible, and Harry wanted nothing more than it to end. He wanted to wrap his arms around his sister and pull her away from the bloody scene and hold her until she cried all the tears she could.

After a few moments, Harry noticed something digging into his arm; Hermione was watching Snape breath heavily, her fingernails in his arm nearly drawing blood. But Harry did not care. The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional anguish that Snape's death was causing him. Harry wondered briefly if Darcy had ever felt that pain, if she had ever had her heart break when she saw Harry so desperate. When Dumbledore died, the man who watched over Harry, Darcy had gone into a rage and had not shown the same helplessness that he was showing then. Snape was Darcy's Dumbledore and while Harry despised the greasy Potions' Master, he couldn't help but to have a certain respect for Snape, lying there and letting Darcy touch him and help him, for once, to the best of her ability.

"I promise, I'll help you..." cried Darcy, her voice trembling. She was trying so incredibly hard to stay strong and stay whole for not only Snape, but for Harry, and her two other friends behind her. "Everything is going to be okay, okay? I promise - it's going to be okay... I'll heal you, just like you healed me, okay?"

Snape gurgled, choking on his own blood and spluttered. Darcy wiped her palm on her t-shirt, leaving blood stains all over. She pressed her hand to his neck again, clinging to his arm with her other hand. "Darcy..." he managed to gag. Tears began to fall from the corners of his black eyes, cloudy and small.

Darcy nodded eagerly. "Professor, it's going to be okay - I'll fix you..."

"Take... them..." Snape tried to tell her, attempting to point to his tears.

Upon further examination, Darcy knew exactly what they were. She let go of Snape's arm and held out her hand as Hermione summoned a flask out of midair and Darcy began to capture the tears one by one until the flask was a little less that half full. She gave it back to Hermione as Darcy grasped Snape's arm again, trying so very hard to keep him alive.

"You look... so... much... like your... mother."

Darcy could not help but to smile through her tears. She knew very well that she looked like her mother. "I promise you," she cried. "Please, don't die... Stay alive... Professor, please..." She buried her face in his chest, trying to listen for a steady heartbeat, but all she heard was her own crying. Her hands were soaked with blood, Snape's blood, and her shirt was red instead of blue, as it had been before.

"Look... at... me..."

Gathering the strength to look into Snape's eyes, Darcy sniffed and did as he asked without questioning it. Grabbing hold of her arm with his hand, Snape looked at her for a good few seconds before his eyes became cold and distant. Snape's hand suddenly fell to the ground. His head lolled to the side and Darcy held onto tightly to him for a little longer, wishing that she was simply dreaming.

"Darcy..." Hermione was crying, afraid that if she said one wrong word to Darcy, she would lash out and attack like a wild animal. "Darcy, come on - we need to get out of here..."

Darcy didn't answer Hermione. She continued to look at her old professor. The professor that had allowed her to complain about her life. The professor that kept her grounded and sane. The professor that kept her ego in tact. The professor that had protected her for so many years. Without Snape, where would Darcy be? Who would she be? Snape had impacted her personality just as much as Lupin had.

Before Darcy could get up, Voldemort's terrifying voice sounded throughout Hogwarts once more. Darcy closed her eyes, not yet letting go of Snape, but listening closely. "You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste." Darcy felt her blood boil at Voldemort's icy cold voice. "Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who had tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

And just like that, Darcy's world crashed harder around her, falling into little bits and all she wanted at that moment, was to lay down and die.


	34. Memories

Hello, everyone. This chapter actually made ME cry! I really enjoy this, but I think it could have turned out better. Again, sorry for typos - my laptop is broken, so I have to use my iPad! Enjoy!

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><p><strong>MEMORIES.<strong>

There had been a moment in Darcy's life, the year before present, when she was assisting Professor Slughorn, that had been engrained in her brain. She had never told anyone of the memory, not Lupin or Harry or Hermione or Charlie. As of late, Darcy had become accustomed to sharing things with her friends, but this was something that she knew would be a secret forever. And she had held onto that memory, and it helped her through tough times. It had been an incentive to carry on and find Voldemort and return to Hogwarts.

The certain memory that she had kept to herself occurred on the day before Dumbledore's terrifying murder. Darcy had been so terribly afraid of the plan Dumbledore and Harry had concocted, and she was so hurt and heartbroken that she was not able to confide in Lupin about anything. In fact, she couldn't really talk to anyone in detail. It was all vague lies, trying to hide the truth from everyone who wouldn't understand. However, Darcy remained in Snape's classroom to ease the pain and to calm her down. Snape was working surprisingly late into the night, which surprised Darcy, since he usually left the minute he could.

They had been silent for most of the night. Darcy had brought a book to read, a Muggle one that Mr. Weasley got her excitedly, entitled Heart of Darkness. She found it incredibly hard to read, but perhaps it was simply because her mind was so crazy and filled with distracting thoughts. Snape was looking over essays with disgust and his nose scrunched, just as he usually did. Darcy found it endearing how wonderful of a teacher he really was. Snape was brilliant with potions and knew what he was talking about, but just wasn't a people-person like Darcy was. If he was even slightly kinder to his students, they could learn a lot from him. His ability to brew the most perfect antidotes and poisons and what not was very admirable and Darcy looked up to him in that aspect.

"_Professor_?" Darcy asked suddenly, causing Snape to flinch. He did not look up from his desk - he never did until he spoke words of wisdom to her. Darcy always took his advice to heart, even if she claimed to despise it. "_What am I going to do next year_?" Darcy had been referring to the following year at Hogwarts, wondering if Slughorn was going to stay or if Snape was going to stay. She really did not want to follow Slughorn around for another year because of the hatred she harbored for him. Perhaps hate was a strong word, but he did anger Darcy with his arrogance and love for famous wizards and witches.

Snape took a moment to think about an answer for her question and finally, when he had come up with something, he looked up at Darcy, who was staring right back at him. "_Whatever you do, I am sure that you will do something great_."

This answer took Darcy by surprise. She assumed Snape to think she was foolish and young and stupid and naive. He had questioned her actions several times in the past, told her to grow up and become an adult, and he even called her out on everything he saw to be wrong. Darcy blinked a few times, letting his answer sink in. "_Hogwarts has enough greatness without me_," she shrugged with a soft chuckle. Looking back down at her book, she blushed, not expecting Snape to believe her to be great. "_Even if I was not here next year, Harry would be thrust the greatness. He is, and always has been, the better Potter, I think_."

"_I have always found your way of thinking to be peculiar_," said Snape, still looking at her. Darcy met his eyes again and smiled weakly at his poor attempt for comic relief. Or was he being honest? "_Perhaps your brother has accomplished more, but what would he be without you by his side? Do you truly believe he would still be alive without you_?"

If Darcy had not been completely shocked by that point, she was absolutely stunned after that last comment. She tried not to show it. She tried to be totally cool in front if Snape and just accept what he had said, but she was internally screaming. Snape had never said anything like that to her before. He was always cold and condescending. What was going through his mind at that moment? Darcy wished she was talented at reading minds, just as Snape was. "_What do you think of him? What do you think of everything we have done_?"

At that point, Snape knew she was just trying to get him to talk. But he decided to humor her, and he continued. "_I think_..." He took a long pause and continued to scratch his quill against someone's essay on his desk. "_That very few could do what you have done. However, you are young and inexperienced. These spontaneous rescue missions will kill you if you continue to act on instinct_."

Darcy thought he was done, so she stood up and meant to head back to her room. But Snape stopped her, and the very thing he said made her tear up instantly.

"_Your parents would be proud of you, Potter_."

"_Thank you, sir_."

Yet, there was her old professor - her friend - lying completely still on the cold floor before her, killed by Voldemort's hand. As she thought back to that memory, she wondered if that was Snape saying goodbye. Perhaps that was his way of saying it. It had to be. Had he known she was going to be on the hunt for Voldemort the following year? Is that what he meant by "great things"? There was no way to figure it out now, for Snape was dead and that tortured and ripped at her soul and heart. This man knew things about her that many did not. And her source of help was now gone and would never be able to listen to her ever again.

The battle had momentarily ceased as Voldemort called an hour long truce. Darcy said her final goodbyes to Snape by cleaning up the blood stains on his pasty skin and squeezing his hand one last time. Finally ready to move on, Darcy stood, but did not go anywhere. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were staring at her with heavy hearts. They were huddled together, holding each other tightly, tears in their wide eyes. Hermione held out the vial of memories for Darcy to take, which she did, and then began to lead them out of the Shrieking Shack silently.

As Darcy crawled slowly through the tunnel back towards Hogwarts, she thought of Snape and only Snape. The way he had been killed mercilessly, only for power. Voldemort had not meant he words he had spoken after killing Snape. Darcy knew that Voldemort felt no remorse towards the situation; he only cared about the powerful wand he had attained.

Approaching Hogwarts was disheartening. The night sky was pitch black, completely void of any stars. The strange quietness of the courtyard and castle made Darcy very uncomfortable. Everyone was in mourning of the loved ones they had lost. Especially Darcy. Blood covered the walls like fresh paint and it made her stomach uneasy. She was almost afraid to empty the castle; no one was outside fighting, so where else would they be? How many faithful students had been lost? How many friends? How many talented witches and wizards from Dumbledore's Army? How many were still alive?

As Darcy reached the Great Hall, she took in the sights. It was empty except for people, no furniture whatsoever. Many survivors were close together, huddled in groups, showing affection for each other whenever possible. Families were reunited and friends and professors. Madam Pomfrey was walking around the room quickly, assisted by older, past students who knew more about healing than most.

She spotted a family of redheads down at the far end of the hall and was not surprised to see Ron and Hermione hurry towards them. Harry stayed close to Darcy, knowing that she needed him. And he was right, for Darcy grasped his arm and held on tightly, her eyes scanning all of the dead bodies lined up in the middle. She did not directly look for Lupin or Charlie; if they were not among the line of casualties, then she did not have to worry. If they were injured, Madam Pomfrey would take good care of them.

But as her eyes got closer to Fred and his family, something caught her off guard completely. The messy hair, the shade of brown - Harry felt Darcy lose her balance and breath. He caught her before she collapsed and looked to see what she had seen. Once he saw the mousey brown hair, Harry, too, nearly fainted. Tonks was lying among the dead, peacefully beside Fred. She could have been sleeping, except the giant wound in her abdomen told Darcy that she was most certainly not having pleasant dreams.

Darcy turned around, burying her face in Harry's chest and sobbing. Harry held her, ridiculously angry at the world for forcing all these terrible things upon his sister. He was quite sad, as well, but could not handle the way his sister was taking all these deaths. They had been thrust upon her all in a row - good friends and loved ones of Darcy's. He quickly scanned the bodies one more time and sighed in relief when he saw that Lupin was, in fact, not there, so he was most likely still alive and searching for Darcy.

But Harry knew that he and his sister still had things to do. Darcy was still holding onto Snape's memories and he knew that they had to be important, or else Snape wouldn't have given them away. So Harry took his sister's hand and escaped from the Great Hall before anyone decided to talk to them. Darcy was in no state to talk and he couldn't remember the last time she had seemed so torn up - was it Sirius's death? She was pretty depressed after that, but she had gotten over it with help from Lupin. But could Lupin really help her through all this? Harry felt that he would need to assist Lupin in order to get Darcy back to normal after the war. If that was even an option.

Through the hallways of Hogwarts, Harry led Darcy to the Headmaster's Office, where the gargoyle that guarded the stairwell was crushed and broken and let them pass without question. Up the spiral staircase and into the office, Darcy looked up and wiped her eyes. Normally, past Headmasters and Headmistresses would converse from their portraits, but they were all empty. Not a single frame had a person in it. They had fled the scene, most likely when the battle started. Or when Snape took over?

Looking down at his sister, Harry gently took the flask from Darcy's hand and strolled over to the Pensieve in the cabinet where it had always been. He poured the memories in slowly and hesitated, looking over at Darcy, who was looking around the office. "Darcy, come on," whispered Harry, pleading with her.

"Oh," sighed Darcy. "No, you go ahead."

"Darcy, he gave these memories to you. There's a reason for that. I'm not doing this by myself." He understood where she was coming from - Snape had just died, basically in her arms, and reliving his memories would break her completely. But Harry had faith in her and believed that she could do anything after what she had just lived through. "Come on. You rode a broomstick today - fantastically, may I add - and you saved people and fought bravely. Just one more obstacle. One more and you're done. For me, do this."

Hesitant, Darcy stepped slowly towards Harry, who was offering her his hand. She took it, and taking in a deep breath, plunged her head into the Pensieve, with Harry right behind her.

* * *

><p>Darcy was standing in a quaint and dark living room, lit by a few candles and a fire burning in the fireplace. There was a single armchair resting by the large bookshelf, littered with books on nearly every magical subject. It was then that Darcy saw the tenant walk into the living room with an envelope in his bony hands. Snape was tearing frantically at the letter, sitting down in his chair and pulling the paper out and throwing the envelope on the ground. His black eyes scanned the letter and he sighed, rubbing his temples, gripping the parchment tightly.<p>

Curious as to why Snape had given her this particular memory, Darcy stepped over to him and looked over his shoulder at the letter, complete with a picture of a chubby baby. Darcy immediately dismissed the picture and read what had been written. The curvy, neat, and cursive handwriting reminded Darcy of her own.

"Severus,

She arrived a few days ago - sorry I couldn't tell you sooner. I think she's beautiful, don't you? James spoils her, he really does. We had Remus over to see her the day she got home; if I can convince James, perhaps you could come see her. I know we haven't been on the same page for a while, but I think it would be wonderful for you to hold little Darcy. She hardly cries!

Your friend,  
>Lily Potter<p>

P.S. I hope you're doing well and making good choices. You could go far in life with your talent, Sev."

After reading the letter, Darcy's heart sank and her eyes snapped to the picture again. It was a baby picture of her and Snape was holding it in his hands. Yes, Darcy could recognize herself now. The eyes - the green eyes, just like her mother's, shone brightly as she smiled, showing off her fat cheeks. Baby Darcy was laughing up at whoever had taken the photograph. She was nearly bald, but what hair she did have was a light blonde, very unlike her red hair that she had grown.

Harry did not ask Darcy about what she had just read. He assumed it to be about her; why would Snape give her memories about someone else? He stood back and watched, his arms crossed, as Darcy made eye contact with him. Sighing, Harry gave her a small smile.

Snape's sudden movement caught Darcy off guard. She jumped out of his way as he stood up and walked slowly to the fireplace. Taking another long look at the picture and letter, Snape pursed his lips and tossed his mail into the fire. He did not return to his chair, but watched as the fire slowly burned the picture of Darcy and the letter her mother had sent him. Snape looked sad, almost, but then again, Darcy could never really read Snape very well. He cloaked his emotions as if it were an art.

She closed her eyes, wanting the memory to end and for her and Harry to return to Hogwarts, but the scene began to fade and transform into a new one.

* * *

><p>Darcy found herself in the Great Hall, once again standing beside Harry. They were up by Snape, who was seating near the end of the long table. She remembered this - it was the first day of her Hogwarts experience. Looking around, Darcy found her eleven-year-old self, standing in the crowd of petrified first years. Snape was staring at them, very intently focused on one particular student, which happened to be Darcy.<p>

Although, this memory did not stay for long, because in an instant, the two siblings were located outside of the Transfiguration room. Snape was on hall duty, patrolling the corridors for out of place students. As he glanced in the small window on the door, Snape noticed the young Darcy sitting towards the back of the classroom with her old friend, Emily. There were paying very close attention to Professor McGonagall.

"Severus," whispered a raspy voice and Darcy looked over her shoulder at Dumbledore, who was approaching him quickly. "Just like her mother, hm?" Dumbledore walked right through Darcy, stepping up to Snape, who was watching Darcy carefully, studying her with contempt. His nose was scrunched and his eyes beady as ever. Snape glared at Dumbledore, not happy about his presence.

"I find her to be a wonderful girl, personally. She already has her life planned out for herself at eleven-years-old," continued the Headmaster, looking in at Darcy with a sense of pride. "I think she will do excellent things in the future - and, pardon me, but I am hardly ever wrong."

"Don't let her appearance fool you," sneered Snape, turning towards Dumbledore and away from the classroom. Where Darcy was standing, it was almost as if Snape was speaking to her directly. "Most children with a similar appearance to a parent will have the personality of the other."

"You seem to know much about her already," Dumbledore looked at Snape over his half moon glasses, smirking. "Yet, I do not believe you have had the pleasure of meeting her yet. It has only been a few hours. Wait until you see how well she does in potions before you judge her personality based on her mother and father."

"I do not think that I need to get to know her to understand what she is like." Snape hesitated and turned away from Dumbledore again, peeking through the window once more. He waved the older man off impatiently, growing frustrated. "With James as the father, that really speaks for itself."

"Seven years with her, Severus," said Dumbledore, patting Snape's shoulder. Snape seemed rather uncomfortable at this gesture. "I am sure you will find at least one thing you appreciate about her in that time. Something original and unlike her father."

* * *

><p>Darcy was standing in the Headmaster's Office again, but after a quick look around the room, she knew that she was still in Snape's head. Dumbledore was in his portrait, looking at Snape, who was seated and reading The Daily Prophet. Darcy saw the front page and saw the big title: MINISTRY BREAK IN.<p>

So this was a recent memory, only a few months ago. And Snape read the article quickly. Dumbledore waited for the newest Headmaster to finish the article. Once he did, Snape threw the paper away from him, burying his head in his hands. "What foolish children," spat Snape bitterly. "They won't be able to get away for much longer."

"They are smarter than you believe them to be, Severus," replied Dumbledore cheerfully. "They know what they're doing."

"They're children!" Snape spat at the portrait behind him. "Darcy is a child! She cannot handle the responsibility of all this mess. She should never have been involved in the first place - there is no need for her during this!"

"So it is Darcy you are worried about?" inquired Dumbledore, cocking a thick, grey eyebrow. "Please don't tell me that you, as well, have developed feelings for her? Or perhaps it is because of her resemblance to -"

"Don't say it!" Snape boomed, standing up and leaving the office quickly before Dumbledore could finish.

* * *

><p>Darcy now found herself in a very familiar room - Slughorn's old one. But, instead of Slughorn occupying it, Snape was seated at the desk, opening the drawers and looking for something, but she didnt know what. He got through all of the drawers and finally opened up the last one, hesitating and reaching in, pulling something out.<p>

She knew what it was rights away, for she had lost it at the end of that year. It was her lesson planning book, where she kept notes and potion brewing ideas and even doodles of random things like hearts and stars and swirls. Snape flipped through it slowly, looking at all the potions and ingredients she had written down while sitting in his office and complaining. When he reached the end, he closed the book and paused, putting it back where he had found it and leaving the room, his cloak billowing after him.

* * *

><p>"I will ask you one last time," Snape warned Phineas, who was cooly sitting in his portrait, bored of Snape. "Where is she?"<p>

Phineas yawned and Darcy felt the urge to strangle the painting. He was so incredibly annoying and everyone knew it. Even Snape hated him, or so it seemed. "I told you, Severus, boy, I have no idea. I tried to get it out of her, but she blindfolded me before I could get a good look around."

"Surely you can find out!"

"Alas," Phineas shrugged. "I cannot. Thanks for playing, though. But this really puts me in a compromising situation... I do not wish to stay here in this frame with you interrogating me constantly, but staying in Darcy's frame is dreadful. It is so dark."

Snape rubbed his temples, clearly irritated by Phineas's rambling. "Find out where she is or I will have your portrait destroyed."

"That would be a shame," replied the painting, sounding not the least bit afraid of Snape. "But I told you, I tried to find out and she won't let me know. I think it wrong for me to be punished for that, dear boy!"

Snape grumbled something Darcy didn't understand and the scenery disappeared.

* * *

><p>"I just got word from the Dark Lord himself," announced an unfamiliar Death Eater, seated across from Snape's desk. "It seems that the Potter siblings and their friends escaped from the Malfoy Manor this evening."<p>

"Escaped?" repeated Snape.

The Death Eater snarled and held his tongue as he looked at Snape hungrily. "That's what I said, mate. They don't know where they could have gone, but they are nowhere to be found, at the moment. I hear Lucius is in a ton a trouble with him, though - the Dark Lord, that is..."

Snape didn't seem to be listening, but rather thinking to himself, pensive as he waited for the Death Eater to finish and leave him alone.

* * *

><p>Darcy found herself beside Harry, standing in Dumbledore's study. It was clean and pristine, the way it looked before he died. Dumbledore was seated at his desk, observing his cursed hand and Snape was before Dumbledore. His black, greasy hair fell in front of his face as he rubbed his temples as if frustrated. Dumbledore looked up at Snape and waited patiently for him to speak. Darcy wondered why this memory was now, for the rest had been in chronological order. But she ignored the fact and paid attention closely.<p>

"And what of Darcy?" Snape asked hesitantly, his voice lowering a bit. Was it possible he was ashamed to admit to caring for her? Darcy shook the thought out of her head and watched carefully as Snape turned away from Dumbledore, who smiled for a brief second. Snape seemed impatient as he waited for the other wizard to answer. "Must she die, as well?"

Without thinking, Dumbledore answered, "No." Darcy looked at her brother and felt her heart sink. No matter what, Darcy was going with him. There was no doubt about it. She couldn't let him die alone and she couldn't bear to think about living the rest of her life without Harry by her side. The plan was to go together – that had always been the plan, however it remained unspoken. Both siblings knew that they would not leave the other. It wasn't an option. They grew up together and were not about to separate. Not this time. "But if I know Darcy Potter, she will refuse to leave her brother's side. It will happen."

"Can't you do something?" Snape snapped, turning around quickly and slamming a hand on Dumbledore's desk. The back of his cloak went right through Darcy like a ghost.

The older wizard raised his eyebrows. Harry felt a pang of hurt when realizing finally that Snape did care for Darcy, but not for him. He had cared about Darcy all along and Harry was wrong to doubt that. However, it did not bother him much. He and Dumbledore had shared a bond that he was sure had never been shared between Dumbledore and another student ever. Harry didn't want or care about Snape, no matter whose side he was really on. While Snape had watched over Harry from a distance, their relationship was nothing compared to his and Darcy's.

"Do something to stop her?"

"She is not her mother, Severus," replied Dumbledore seriously and quietly. Snape breathed in deeply through his hook nose and Darcy stepped closer to him. She paused and looked up into Snape's desperate face, reaching out slowly for the back of his cloak. Her hand went right through it and she sighed. "Sometimes I think you forget that. Unless… you really do care for her?"

Snape stood erect before Dumbledore and remained silent as the Headmaster walked up to him, completely blocking Darcy out and eyeing his colleague up and down.

"All these years with Lily's daughter have changed you, hm?" hummed Dumbledore, seeming rather amused. "No doubt if she looked like her father, you would have no interest whatsoever in Darcy's safety and wellbeing –"

"She is her father all over again," hissed Snape. "Just like James, no matter how much she looks like her mother. An arrogant and egotistical brat who gets all the special treatment, if I do say so myself. You seem to have taken a great liking to both Potter siblings."

Snape's words stung Darcy and she bit her lip. His voice lingered in her ears. "But you do not mean that, Severus," winked Dumbledore. "If that were true, you would not have tolerated her running to you in a time of need. She is her mother, just as her brother is. Do you think someone with James' personality would have kept three children safe all throughout their Hogwarts years? Do you think someone with his personality would have put everyone before themselves?"

Snape slumped his shoulders, defeated. He had no other argument.

"Would you like to know something?" Dumbledore asked brightly, his blue eyes twinkling. The tone of his voice had changed drastically and Darcy found herself only inches away from the two wizards, afraid to miss some important information. Snape looked up slowly and met the Headmaster's eyes. "She has believed in you all this time. Even after how you have treated her and her brother, she believes in you. Never underestimate Darcy's ability to see the goodness in people."

"Then she is a fool. It's no wonder that she's fallen in love with Lupin."

Dumbledore smiled at Snape still, not even blinking. "Say what you will about her, Severus, but just remember: not even Lily could look past the sinister and twisted things you have done."

Snape stood there and looked at Dumbledore, almost looking insulted. Darcy was attempting to reach for Snape again, but it was impossible. She kept trying to touch his cloak, his arm, but it was no use. Harry gently grabbed her arm and held his sister to his bony frame, knowing that he didn't have much time left with her.

"I will ask you once, Severus." There was a slight pause. Dumbledore was trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say. "How much do you value Darcy Potter's life?"

Snape took in a deep breath that gave Darcy chills. She held her own breath and buried her face in Harry's chest. "More than my own."

"Then you are to tell her – however you want when the time is right – that she must stay behind when her brother faces Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore nodded and stroked his long, white beard. "If you really care about her, you would do whatever it takes to save her life."

The scene began to dissolve around them and Darcy was forced out of the Pensieve violently, her face dry and still worn and bruised from the battle. She stared at the desk that Dumbledore was just sitting at and she looked a little to the left, where Snape had just been. She was breathing heavy and she wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Had Snape been kind to her only because he knew her brother was meant to die? Did he pity her? She heard the stone staircase twist and looked around.

Harry had already walked out of Dumbledore's study, knowing now that he would be leaving Darcy behind by herself, despite his heart telling him not to go. Darcy hadn't noticed Harry's absence until a few moments later; she was still in shock from what she had just seen and what she had just heard Snape say. Finally realizing her brother had left, she ran out and jumped down the spiral staircase, pushing past the broken stone that blocked the entrance. Harry had already made it down the other grand staircase and was walking stiffly, clearly unprepared for what was ahead. He wanted to move fast, get it over with. He couldn't stand the hurt he was causing Darcy at that moment.

"Harry!" she called with tears in her eyes. She didn't know that she still had tears to cry. Darcy thought she had cried herself dry.

Harry turned around, his eyes red and his cheeks blotchy and pink. He stared at his sister standing at the top of the large staircase, trying to notice different things about her. He noticed that her hair was parted, not in the middle, but slightly to her right. He noticed that her eyelashes were strangely long - much longer than his. He noticed that they had the exact same nose. Was it their mother's nose or their father's? Darcy swallowed and sighed, slacking and running her hands through her hair, pushing it back. "Hm?" he said.

"What if –" she stuttered, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears and clearing her throat. "What if I went with you?"

"You can't," Harry replied with a small shrug, wishing he could stay with her instead. "You heard Dumbledore. It has to be me and only me. You can't do this, Darcy. You don't need to die."

Darcy looked up at the ceiling, wiping her eyes. Harry waited and felt his heart pounding in his chest. He did not want to go. He did not want to leave Darcy. He did not want to leave his friends. The only friends he ever had. His real friends. Harry closed his eyes to hold back tears and heard Darcy racing down the stairs. She jumped the last three and landed in front of him. "Well, if you're going go leave, don't think you can leave without saying good-bye, Harry Potter."

Harry opened his eyes and looked directly into his sister's eyes. She was crying harder than when Snape had died right in front of her. After all, Harry was her last family – that loved her, anyway. Without Harry, who did she have left? God, why did it have to be them? Out of all the people in the world, it was them suffering this fate. Fred, Snape, Tonks, and now Harry? How much more pain was Darcy supposed to be in? Why couldn't it be him feeling her pain? He wanted to take it all away from her and he wanted the old Darcy back. Stubborn, cocky, sarcastic. She was none of those things anymore. She was sad, small, and hurting. What horrible traits for Darcy to possess - she deserved nothing that had happened to her that night.

Darcy put her hands on Harry's shoulders and then cupped his cheeks, and then finally settled on his upper arms. She blinked quickly, trying to stop crying, but it was no use. His face was blurred by tears. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered, attempting to smile. "Mum and dad would be, too. They would be so very - proud."

Harry's heart broke into a million pieces. He could feel it shatter. He never thought in a million years that he would witness his sister in such a state – saying good-bye to him. It never was a thought that crossed his mind. Harry could only bring himself to nod and mouth a "thank you."

She combed his dark locks with her fingers and then touched his cheek. "Good-bye, Harry," she sobbed quietly. Her lips trembled and she could hardly speak. She dropped her hands to her sides. "I love you so, so much. I'll miss you."

Harry tucked her hair behind her ears and wiped her tears away. He pulled his sister to him again, wrapping his arms around her shoulders tightly and kissing her forehead chastely. "I love you, too."

Darcy had nothing else to say to Harry. What else was there to say? She knew what she had do. Kill the snake, kill Voldemort. Avenge Harry, who was about to willingly walk into the arms of death. How could he do that? Just leave her? After everyone she had already lost?

"Thank you, Darcy," nodded Harry. "For everything."

And just like that, Harry was gone. He unwrapped himself from their loving good-bye hug and he walked away sadly, leaving Darcy alone. She stomped her foot and screamed up at the falling ceiling. She threw rocks and blasted chunks of the school's wall apart and finally sat down on the steps, holding her head in her hands and weeping loudly.


	35. A Short Break

**A SHORT BREAK.**

Darcy sat at the bottom of the stairs, alone, thinking about everything that had happened the past few hours. She thought about Snape, Malfoy, Tonks, Fred, and everyone that had died fighting for her and her brother. She thought about how Harry had been completely wrong about Snape and how she had been right all along, believing in him, having faith in him. He had sent the doe to help them - he had tried so hard to help Darcy. To find her. Everything that he had shown her proved that Snape cared for her, despite what everyone else assumed. And it warmed Darcy's fragile heart to know that other people cared about her. It made her feel a little less lonely.

It had not been Snape that betrayed them, but Dumbledore. The one man Harry thought it was okay to trust. That one man had been raising Harry only to let him die. Dumbledore had never hinted towards that, but Darcy should have known. And that explained why she couldn't tell Lupin about anything. Had she confided in Lupin about the plans and Horcruxes and everything Harry was learning from Dumbledore, Lupin would have understood the old man's plan for the future. Of course Darcy wouldn't understand - they were all children, only trusting Dumbledore instead of questioning him. Hell, Dumbledore never even really spoke to Darcy. She recalled that it was mostly Harry relaying all the information to her and his friends.

There were so many things running through Darcy's mind, but she felt so dead. Her limbs refused to work for her. She felt that she could not go on any longer, but knew she had to. How was a single person supposed to ever be happy again after losing so many loved ones? Was it even possible? Even with Lupin and Hermione and Ron, being happy was going to be a chore. It would be a long time before Darcy even felt motivated again to do anything, even to stand up and eat dinner at a dinner table. What was one supposed to do after their only family left to die? How was someone supposed to get over that?

She should have gone with Harry. That's what she truly wanted. She didn't care about anyone else anymore; Darcy regretted not following her brother. They had fought side by side, survived through life together, never leaving the other alone for too long. Darcy never intended to let Harry go. Darcy was supposed to watch Harry grow up and she was supposed to have nephews and nieces. They were supposed to have family dinners and visit each other. Darcy was supposed to be in his wedding - she was going to give him away. Darcy wanted to have her children play with their cousins. And now, none of that was going to happen. And Darcy had never felt more alone in her entire life than she did while sitting on the marble staircase of a destroyed Hogwarts, the place she had once called home.

Darcy stumbled into the Great Hall a little bit later after painfully making her way through Hogwarts. Brothers and sisters were huddled together, making sure they were okay; professors were taking care of students, helping them find their friends; Madam Pomfrey was trying to heal several people at once. It seemed so busy in the large room and Darcy looked around for someone to hold onto and cry on. But all she wanted was Harry, beside her, holding her in a bone-crushing hug, stroking her hair. She didn't want anyone else as much as she wanted her brother there. Her best friend. The most important guy in her life. Harry was the last of her family, for she did not count the Dursleys. She had been left all alone. This time, Harry was not going to return to her. He was not going to fight Voldemort, but to simply die. And knowing that he was going to give himself up so easily was part of the reason Darcy was dying on the inside.

No one seemed to pay any attention to her whatsoever; Darcy knew if Harry had been beside her, there would be a swarm of people around them both. But not a single person looked up at her and smiled. No one comforted her, no one came running at her, jumping her with a hug. So Darcy wrapped her arms around herself and looked around the room for a familiar face, needing some kind of comfort. It was ridiculously crowded and Darcy especially wanted to stay away from the line of casualties, not wanting to see anyone else she knew in the body count. She could not bear to see how many people had given their lives for her and her brother.

Looking out the smashed stained glass windows, Darcy took notice that it was still dark out. However, it had to be close to morning, because they had been fighting for so long, or so she thought. In a few hours, the sun would rise and there would - hopefully - be a victor. And Darcy hoped to God that her side would be the winning one. All she had to do was kill Voldemort's snake and then she could kill Voldemort and this could all be over. Why didn't she go with Harry? She could have killed the snake then. She probably would have died, but it would have made the final task easier for someone else. Anyone else. For Hermione. For Ron. For everyone else who knew what the four kids had been up to for so long.

With shaky legs, Darcy began to make her way towards the back of the Great Hall, wanting to be alone. To her severe disappointment, someone was approaching her, albeit she did not push them away. Darcy stood completely still and waited for the older Weasley to come to her.

"Darcy..." said Charlie Weasley, placing his hands on her shoulders. She stood up straight, still not quite able to see the details in Charlie's face through her tears. At the sight of her crying, Charlie hugged her tightly, holding her to his muscular body. Burying her face in Charlie's shoulder, Darcy let out a dry sob."Where's Harry?"

Lifting her head, Darcy just stared at Charlie, unable to answer. She couldn't verbally say it - she could not tell him that Harry had gone to die. But by the look on her face, Darcy knew that Charlie understood, for his face fell and his bright, blue eyes widened in horror.

"Don't tell me he's gone to the forest?" Charlie put his hands to her cheeks, wiping the tears that slowly fell down Darcy's cheeks. He was so desperate for an update on the battle and Darcy seemed to be one of the only ones to know what was really going on.

Darcy hesitated and then finally nodded, losing all sense of self control. She broke down and sobbed into Charlie's shoulder, her tears creating large stains on his sleeves. Charlie closed his eyes slowly and sighed. His grip on Darcy's shoulders tightened and then loosened. Resting his head atop of Darcy's, he felt his heart break for his friend. After losing his younger brother, he could only imagine the pain Darcy was going through. He kissed the top of her head several times and held Darcy out at arms length, examining her.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, brushing dirt off her face and pulling dead leaves from her stringy hair. She shied away from Charlie slightly, but warmed up to his touch, knowing that she wasn't about to be hurt. "You're bleeding."

She touched her temple, where she knew there was a deep cut, but Charlie touched her rib and she flinched. A few of her ribs were fractured or broken and there was an extremely deep gash on her side. Her shirt was soaked in blood, but she didn't think much of it. Most of the blood belonged to Snape, when she had been wiping his blood off her hands. Charlie watched Darcy hold her hands up to examine and noticed they were a deep red color from blood and dirt. For the most part, Darcy was much better off than most in the Great Hall. But Charlie took a step back, surprised. And he looked her over. And he pursed his lips, finally getting a good look at the bloody, broken, and transformed Darcy Potter.

Charlie thought back to Bill's wedding, when Darcy had looked so beautiful in her dress, with her hair done and styled lovely. He remembered her bright personality and the smile that never faded from her face. The light in her eyes that attracted him to her. He remembered spinning her around on the dance floor and how well she kept up with his feet while dancing to fast paced music. It felt like only yesterday she was flinging gnomes from the garden of his home and telling stories of Hogwarts. Dirt on her face from the garden used to look so cute and innocent, but now the dirt on her face was scary and intimidating. Charlie had always enjoyed being around Darcy because she could brighten his day with a simple story or random joke - she had been his best friend, gorgeous and wonderful.

Then he remembered seeing Darcy at Shell Cottage briefly, skinny and afraid. She had lost so much weight over the course of a few months and her eyes were sunken in, her skin slightly tinted yellow. Darcy looked like a skeleton that had been eaten at by depression and hunger and exhaustion. But she was still alive and Charlie knew that she was still herself underneath the horrid exterior. Darcy had just been stressed and anxious, but with a break, Charlie knew that Darcy could return to her bubbly self within a few days, with a few healthy meals. But he never really understood the toll that the mission was taking on her. He had never imagined Darcy looking so damaged.

But looking at Darcy then, at that moment in time in Hogwarts, Charlie knew that Darcy was beyond broken. There was no fixing her and he knew it. The light in her eyes had finally gone out and she seemed close to death. Darcy looked unable to stand, rocking back and forth, threatening to collapse due to her shaky legs. Her shoulders were slumped, she was covered in blood, wounded, yet she did not seem to feel any pain. Her body was numb, her mind numb, everything dead. Charlie could hardly recognize her with greasy hair, matted with blood. Her clothes, that had once fit so well, were now baggy and hanging off her body, much too big for her, ripped up and bloodstained. If Charlie had poked her, he was sure Darcy would have fallen and never gotten back up.

Charlie, seeking help for his friend, wrapped his hand around Darcy's and brought her over to Madam Pomfrey, who took time from all her other recovering patients to help Darcy. The older woman sat Darcy down away from everyone and began to rub moist cloths all over her injuries, cleaning up the dried blood and trying to prevent infection. Darcy didn't feel a single thing, just let the Healer do her thing. She stared straight ahead, past Charlie, ignoring everything going on around her. The cuts didn't burn or sting at all, which made things easier for Madam Pomfrey. She worked quickly, applying potions and antidotes to many cuts. With a snap of her fingers, Madam Pomfrey instructed Charlie to block Darcy from view as she tore Darcy's bloody shirt off without protest. Darcy's shirt was replaced by a clean, fresh one, but she didn't care. Charlie sat next to her, his eyes closed and he rubbed his temples, tired. Darcy did not speak, but she stared at the brown hair that she knew belonged to Nymphadora Tonks. The latter was lying beside Fred's dead body and everyone that was mourning them before had now moved away from the two, not wanting to make the heartache any worse. But Darcy could not tear her eyes away. Tonks looked just as peaceful as she did before, when Darcy had seen her the first time. Darcy knew that Tonks did not deserve that at all. Darcy should have been the one laying there instead of Tonks.

Drinks were suddenly being forced into Darcy's dry mouth and her torso was being wrapped with a special magic bandage that she had no idea about. Charlie held her arms above her head so Madam Pomfrey could finish wrapping her without a problem. Darcy just let Madam Pomfrey do whatever she wanted; she didn't care anymore. Madam Pomfrey wrapped a blanket around Darcy's shoulders and handed her a cup of hot cocoa, which she didn't acknowledge. So Charlie took the steaming mug and placed it on the floor beside him, in case Darcy wanted it later. When the Hogwarts nurse finally walked away to mend someone's broken fingers, Darcy laid down with her head on Charlie's strong thigh, holding the blanket tightly around her with her eyes closed.

Lupin, hoping that Darcy had returned finally, looked around the room, trying to see who was in the Great Hall. Suddenly spotting two red heads sitting together, he licked his lips hungrily. Eyeing them closer, he saw the scene unfold. His stomach churned with jealousy and he frowned. That should have been him comforting Darcy. He knew her better than Charlie. He loved Darcy. Lupin couldn't control his rage, attempting to stand up, about to walk over to Darcy and Charlie. "That son of a –"

"Sit down," Ron snapped immediately, grabbing Lupin's sleeve and pulling him down again. Lupin grunted as he hit the ground hard. "Let them go. Don't you understand what she's been through tonight? What she's seen? No one has time for your insecurities and jealousy problems."

Lupin blushed slightly and watched Darcy out of the corner of his eye. Charlie was stroking her red hair and she shut her eyes, about to pass out. Tears fell every so often from her eyes. "Is she okay?" whispered Lupin to Ron, hoping to get some information out of him. "What happened?"

Ron looked up at Lupin, who was obviously desperate. There were tears in both of their eyes, for different reasons completely. But they understood. Both Ron and Lupin understood the pain they had been through. However, Lupin wanted so badly to know what Darcy had been through. He needed to know so he could take care of her. Leaning in towards Lupin, Ron lowered his voice. "Harry's gone to the forest," he said, trying to hide his tears. "And Snape is dead, you know?" There was a moment's hesitation in which Ron swallowed the lump in his throat. It was not Snape's death that upset him, it was how he had died and how torn up Darcy was about it. "Right - right in her arms... and - there was nothing she could do."

Lupin felt the color drain from his face and he looked at Darcy again. Just as Charlie had noticed, Lupin saw how dead she looked and felt his body tingle with sadness. A wave of emotion passed over him; Darcy looked as though she lived a thousand lives and seen a million deaths. "You four should never had been involved in this," sighed Lupin, clicking his tongue, wallowing in regret. "It should have been the Order. Not a group of - of kids." He meant it very well; his life had been put into the hands of four children. Three children who didn't complete their education at Hogwarts. Children who had next to no knowledge compared to the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

"Darcy wouldn't have let you go without her," Ron gave Lupin a half-smirk, knowing it was very true. "She likes knowing she's important. Knowing that she has a purpose. Knowing that she's needed and relied upon."

"You seem to know her quite well."

Ron nodded, but Lupin didn't look at him. His eyes were trained upon Darcy, who looked like she was asleep. "She's lonely." Ron shrugged. "She did a lot for us. Sacrificed a lot for us three. I think she always knew this would be the ending to our mission, but didn't want to believe it. And now its hit her. Hard."

Looking down at Ron, Lupin could hardly suppress his proud smile. Ron was speaking sense - speaking like an adult and really being mature. Lupin had never heard him speak such wisdom before and he began to believe that Darcy had left an impact on them all. She had taught them so much about character and attitude and Ron had grown up to be a fine man with his family and Darcy. Especially on the run, Ron had changed so much that it amazed Lupin. In the long months, each and every one of them had grown up much too quickly.

Lupin's lips curled upwards into a small smile as he looked at Darcy. And he thought about the first time he met her - really got a good look at her. Really got to look her up and down and admire her. And his heart raced when he thought of their first kiss and how she always told him how much she loved him despite all his flaws. And Lupin couldn't imagine anyone else being at his side forever. He couldn't imagine a more perfect person. Darcy Potter most definitely had her flaws - always jumping to conclusions, her passive agressive behavior, getting angry easily. Lupin could have named her flaws right away, but he loved all those flaws about her. He had come to appreciate all those negative things because those made her human. And despite the flaws, Lupin found her endearing and absolutely perfect. And it was then that Lupin suddenly realized how much he really loved Darcy Potter.

He didn't realize it when she was fighting and being courageous and selfless. He didn't realize it when she was laying in bed next to him, in his arms, half naked. He didn't realize it when she would clean up his scratches from his transformation. It was there and then - Darcy lying in Charlie's lap, asleep, a blanket pulled up around her shoulders, beaten half to death. It was the smallest details that struck Lupin as the most beautiful.

The way her mouth hung open when she slept because she always seemed to have a stuffy nose. The way she slept half on her stomach, half on her side. The way she looked so peaceful when she slept, like reality simply disappeared around her, taking a break just so she could rest. All the little things that Lupin noticed about her - freckles and all - were beautiful. And he really loved her. And he could see her as an old woman, still the same outspoken rebel she was as a younger girl, sitting at the table with him for dinner, just sitting together in silence. The kind of silence that was comfortable and relaxing. That was the girl that Lupin wanted forever, but he didn't want her to take care of him anymore. It was his turn to take care of her. It was his turn to clean her battle scars and to tell her they were all wonderful, to make her tea and curl up in bed with her when she was sick, to kiss her all over when she wasn't feeling confident.

So Lupin stood up and headed over towards Charlie and Darcy, needing to touch her so badly. To hold her. Lupin needed to be reminded that she was his. Approaching the Weasley, Lupin tapped Charlie's shoulder. Charlie jumped and turned around, seeing Lupin standing over him. Charlie nodded, understanding why he had come over. Placing a chaste kiss to Darcy's head, Charlie stood up and gently placed her head on the ground without her stirring.

Collapsing to his knees from exhaustion and relief, Lupin took Darcy into his arms and held her close. "Darcy," breathed Lupin and he noticed how wonderful her name sounded when said outloud. He touched her hair, her face, her hands. Darcy did not move, but Lupin saw her breathing. As he was much closer to her than before, Lupin noted things that broke his heart even more. Like the fact Darcy's eyes were puffy and swollen from crying and that she kept sniffing as if crying very hard. Looking down at her, Lupin just wanted to sleep and take advantage of the free time Voldemort had given them. Sleep sounded so nice...

But he couldn't sleep because, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tonks lying on the floor, her eyes closed. It hurt him - physically pained him - to think about her. He became so incredibly angry at that point, that the Great Hall started spinning and going blurry. Tears spilled from his eyes and before he could control himself, he passed out with Darcy in his arms.

* * *

><p>Charlie wandered about the Great Hall for a few minutes, just gathering his thoughts and trying to calm down. He didn't want to be with his family, he just wanted to be alone. He certainly didn't want to talk about Fred or the brave act Harry had committed. He wanted to talk about going home and what he was going to eat first and when he was going to returns to Romania. He wanted to talk about dragons and he wanted to share stories with Darcy. Charlie grabbed chunks of his hair and breathed out slowly, heading towards the large doors of the Great Hall.<p>

George Weasley was by himself just outside the doors of the Great Hall, staring out at the empty courtyard, littered with bodies from each army. His eyes were glossy and half-open, bags under them. Charlie took it upon himself to comfort his brother, so he took a seat on the dusty ground next to George, but neither said a word to each other for a little bit. It was just quiet except for the soft murmurs coming from inside the Great Hall.

"How's Darcy holding up?" George finally asked, his voice cracking.

"She'll be fine, I think," answered Charlie. He knew that Darcy was far from fine, but didn't want to go into detail. George knew that Charlie was just lying, but silently thanked him for not taking it any further. "She's a strong girl."

George nodded. "Yeah."

"George, when I go back to Romania..." Charlie paused. "Take care of her, would you?"

Looking up, George met his brother's eyes. "Of course, Charlie."

It saddened Charlie that George was so deadly serious. He needed the humor, the pranks, and the bright smile. But George provided none of that. Charlie had never seen him so depressed. "I just want to make sure nothing happens to her."

"I'll make sure she won't do anything stupid," sighed George. "But am I really the person you should be telling this to?"

Charlie chewed on his lip and shrugged. "I don't trust Remus as much as I trust you to do this for me."

"I'll try."

"Thanks, Georgie. Everything's gonna be okay. We're going to win this."

George nodded, but ignored what Charlie had told him. Perhaps they were going to win, but George knew that everything would not be okay. Winning would not bring his brother back. Winning would not bring Harry or Snape or Dumbledore or Tonks or Mad Eye back. Winning the war would mean nothing to George and he knew that it would mean nothing to Darcy, as well.


	36. A Reason to Live and Fight

**A REASON TO LIVE AND FIGHT.**

Harry had been anxious all throughout the night before leaving for his first year of Hogwarts; Darcy remembered it very well. She remembered how he insisted he slept on the bed, but every so often, he would wake up and fall asleep next to his sister on the floor. She found it oddly adorable when her ten-year-old brother cuddled up next to her. In fact, Darcy loved when Harry showed her signs of affection because it was rare. But Darcy loved it simply because it proved to her that she had done a good job in taking care of him. Harry trusted her. Harry loved her.

Hagrid was to come and get the Potter siblings that morning and take them to Diagon Alley to get all their new school supplies. Harry stared in awe at the list Darcy had received ("You need a cauldron? For what? Making soup?") and seemed awfully excited to read his, but alas, Hagrid had kept it instead of letting McGonagall send it to Harry, as she usually did with all the other students.

"But what if I'm not in Gryffindor?" Harry had asked Darcy with wide eyes. It was nearly midnight and he was still wide awake, sitting up straight on the twin bed. Darcy was curled up in blankets on the floor, exhausted and ready to return to Hogwarts - her favorite place in the world. Harry was keeping her up, asking ridiculous questions about what to expect.

"What if?" Darcy repeated. "There's a one in four chance, Harry. Every House is a good house, mind you. If you aren't sorted into Gryffindor, then you'll have to take pride in the House you are sorted into."

"But I won't have it! I don't want to be in any other House but Gryffindor."

"What is so special about Gryffindor that you absolutely must be in it? Will you die if you're put in Ravenclaw instead?"

Harry didn't answer her right away. He looked almost fearful, so Darcy climbed up into the bed with her brother and hugged him, ruffling his already messy hair.

"All the Houses are special. Ravenclaw has wit or some strange thing like that. Hufflepuffs are wonderfully loyal. Slytherin students are ambitious. Then there's Gryffindor - the brave. What's so great about being brave that you want to be in that House so badly?" Darcy said to him.

Harry hesitated. "You're in Gryffindor, Darcy."

Darcy was beyond flattered. She was glad the lights were turned out because she blushed furiously and brought Harry's head to her chest. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat calmed Harry down immensely. "That's true," Darcy replied. "Professor McGonagall says the Sorting Hat usually sort family members in the same House, though, so there's really no need to worry."

"What did the Sorting Hat say when you put it on?"

Darcy had to think back to her first year, when she was one of the nervous first years waiting to be sorted in front of the entire school. But she recalled it very clearly, sitting up on the rickety stool and having McGonagall place the patched hat on her small head. "Oh," sighed the hat as soon as it touched Darcy's reddish hair. "_A Potter, at last. I have been waiting for this day, you know! You've been taking good care of your brother, haven't you_?"

"Yes," Darcy had answered quietly, under her breath.

"_I can see you've inherited your father's temper_..." the hat chuckled, but Darcy did not reply. She simply blushed and looked down at her swinging feet. "_But also your mother's bravery. That is why I shall decide - GRYFFINDOR_!"

When Darcy told Harry what the Sorting Hat had told her, Harry was impressed. "Do you think I'll be in Gryffindor?"

Darcy laughed. "You want to be known as brave and chivalrous instead of smart or loyal?"

"Well, yes," Harry shrugged. "Besides, mum and dad were in Gryffindor. And you are! If we're in different Houses, how are we going to be able to talk?"

Smiling, Darcy stood up off the bed and pulled the blankets back, allowing Harry to lay down. She covered him up, ran her fingers through his hair, and kissed his forehead. "No matter what House you're sorted into or what classes you have, I will always find time to talk to you, okay?" Darcy nodded and Harry nodded back, content with that answer. "Even if you think you belong in a certain House, the Sorting Hat knows better than you. Sorting boys and girls is its job - its been doing it for hundreds of years now!"

"I'm just worried that I won't like my House."

"Harry, you'll always have me, okay? I hope you're in Gryffindor, too, but it's up to the Sorting Hat. I won't leave you just because you're at the opposite side of the castle!"

Harry's eyes widened. "Is it really that big?"

"Well... kind of..." Darcy got back down on her spot on the ground, wrapping the blankets around her and closing her eyes. "But don't worry - I'll show you around."

"Darcy?"

"Hm?"

"I won't leave you, either if I'm not in Gryffindor."

"Okay. I'll hold you to it," Darcy laughed and shook her head. "Good night, Harry."

* * *

><p>Darcy woke up in terror. Nightmares plagued her sleep - Snape's death, Tonks and Fred lying silent on the ground, Harry walking away from her. Everything had been taken away from her except for the man who was wrapped around her, Lupin - not Charlie. Darcy briefly scanned the Great Hall for Charlie, but could not find him, so with Lupin sleeping, she stood up and swayed back and forth, thinking of what to do next. Looking down, Lupin looked so worn out and he was snoring a little bit. Lupin always snored when he was very tired and in a deep sleep. Darcy knew that he would not wake easily. She glanced out the window; it was close to morning and it broke her to know that Voldemort would not have stalled so long. Harry was already most likely dead. Or maybe Harry had killed Voldemort... but that was impossible, for the snake was still alive...<p>

Everyone in the Great Hall was calm, so Darcy assumed Voldemort had not spoken again to them. But wouldn't Voldemort have announced Harry's death? He would have wanted to rub it in Darcy's face. Right? Or would he have done it to her face? Proved to her that Harry had truly died by his hand after all these years? Her heart beating erratically, Darcy headed towards the exit discreetly, not wanting to answer anyone's idiotic questions. Okay, perhaps they weren't idiotic, but Darcy did not want to give answers at all to any questions. Where was Harry? How was the Weasley family holding up? What happened to Darcy during the battle? The answers would hurt her heart too much, so she slipped past resting friends quietly.

As she turned the corner towards the large doors of Hogwarts, trying to escape the destroyed castle, she ran into someone she wasn't expecting and apologized profusely after nearly knocking McGonagall to the ground. However, the older woman touched Darcy's cheeks, holding her face in her shaky hands. Darcy accepted the loving gesture and slouched, becoming suddenly depressed again. There was an emptiness in her chest that could not be fixed by Lupin or Ron or Charlie or Hermione. She needed Harry - only Harry could fix the hole in her heart. Neither of the women spoke, for there was really nothing that could be said. But after a while of silence, McGonagall broke it, wishing to have Darcy know how much she was admired.

"I am so proud to have had you in my House," she whispered to Darcy with a big smile. Darcy just nodded, unable to reply. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Darcy looked down at her once blue shoes; they were torn up and ripped, stripped of their color. "No," rasped Darcy. "There's nothing you can do." Tears welled up in her eyes suddenly and Darcy couldn't bring herself to meet McGonagall's eyes again. Darcy felt so weak and so tired; she felt her old professor would simply be ashamed. Ashamed that Darcy had not gone with Harry like she should have. They were a team and Darcy left Harry to die alone.

"Look at me, Darcy." McGonagall wiped Darcy's tears from her cheeks, trying to get Darcy to look up. But Darcy shook her head, sniffling. "Look at me, Potter. You've done nothing wrong. Stop blaming yourself for all this."

Darcy cried harder, knowing that McGonagall was only trying to protect her. But Darcy didn't want her to. She wanted to be alone.

"I will not let you break again, okay? Not like before. No one will let that happen to you again. Understood?"

"Okay."

"Are you sure you don't need anything?"

Darcy nodded one last time.

McGonagall knew that it wasn't her; there was nothing anyone could do for Darcy. "Okay," she sighed sadly, lowering her hands back to her sides. "Okay."

As McGonagall walked towards the Great Hall, leaving Darcy standing by herself, Darcy turned around and called out for her old professor. McGonagall looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows, listening carefully. "Snape..." she breathed in heavily, telling herself that it was okay. "He's dead, you know?" Darcy cleared her throat and nodded, more tears falling from her eyes. "Voldemort killed him and, uh - I couldn't do anything for him. I just watched him die."

Darcy had never seen McGonagall look so sympathetic - or was it indifference?

"He was a good guy," continued Darcy. "He was a good guy... On our side the whole time. And Dumbledore knew it. So, uh - there is actually one thing you can do for me."

"Anything, Potter," McGonagall said so quietly, Darcy strained to hear it.

"Please... just - just don't be angry with him," Darcy pleaded. "He was just trying to help me. To help us. And if you knew the things I did, you wouldn't be angry with him. If you saw the things I've seen -"

Darcy had to stop talking, for her sobs began to take over. McGonagall watched her break down, not knowing how to help, but she nodded and agreed. "Okay," McGonagall told Darcy sincerely. "I won't be angry."

* * *

><p>As the sun rose over Hogwarts, Darcy sat out on the courtyard, unable to bring herself to do anything. She needed to keep fighting, but couldn't bring herself to stand without Harry by her side. Without Harry, her bravery and courage had disappeared. Oh, how she missed him. And it had only been a few hours since his brave idea to surrender himself. It felt like years. She cursed Dumbledore silently for not preparing them better for this outcome - had he not thought of Darcy? Had he not thought of what she would be forced to go through? Obviously not. He cared only of defeating Voldemort. He did not care for anyone else's feelings. Darcy's emotions were last on Dumbledore's list of priorities. That was Snape's job, to teach her to grow up and be independent and let her know she could get on just fine without Harry. But Snape had not prepared her enough for that, either.<p>

Her thoughts were interrupted by the booming voice she dreaded so much. The voice that she would never forget; in years to come, she knew she would dream of that voice and hear it clearly in her head. And that voice alone was enough to pull Darcy to her tired feet, to give her that extra boost of energy, to give her a reason to continue fighting. "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

Darcy felt her blood boil. Harry hadn't run away to save himself - he had gone to save his friends and loved ones and everyone else who had been fighting. He had gone to keep more people from dying. Voldemort was not a hero nor victim for slaying Harry Potter. He was the villain. The evil monstrosity that had broken so many hearts and relationships. She clenched her fists as Voldemort continued.

"The battle is won. You have lost half your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member if their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Voldemort's voice rang inside Darcy's ears. He had already destroyed her family, ripped her friends' families apart. He had ruined her entire life just by existing and if he was going to kill her for standing up for everyone, then so be it. Darcy was ready to be slaughtered. She stood still, waiting for Voldemort and his army and behind her, she could hear the wounded and unwounded soldiers stepping outside to see Harry Potter - to see if he really was no longer the Boy Who Lived. She secretly hoped that she wouldn't be the only one to stand up to Voldemort, but she knew everyone else was tired. Tired of hurting and tired of fighting and they just wanted it to be over. They just wanted to be alive to see the end of the battle. Most of them were only kids Harry's age. What a horrible way to go - what a horrible thing to have seen at such a young age...

Darcy waited for the army of Death Eaters approaching, coming from the forest. She was waiting for them to come close enough so she could fire spell after spell and kill as many as she could before Voldemort killed her himself. She pulled out her wand and gripped it tightly as hundreds of figures approached the castle, a slightly larger man among the mix. There was no mistaking that man - Hagrid was walking alongside them all, not willingly, but forced against his will, ropes around his neck, wrists, and ankles. He was being led like an animal on a leash, obeying silently, his eyes wide and cold and dead. But when Darcy saw who Hagrid was holding, all thoughts of killing Death Eaters flew from her brain and she felt numb and dead yet again. But this time, it was worse, because she knew for a fact that it had definitely happened and Voldemort was not lying or exaggerating.

Harry Potter, lying limp in Hagrid's arms, was enough to kill Darcy where she stood. That was her dead brother in Hagrid's arms. Her best friend... The only family she had left... Voldemort might as well have ripped her heart out and threw it on the ground, shattering it into millions of pieces. Her army of wizards and witches was standing behind her, already defeated, while she stared at the opposing army, full of giddy and happy men and women ready to continue the fight. Darcy picked out Bellatrix, near the front of the line, and Lucius and Narcissa hiding behind others. "Harry... Oh, Harry..." she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Her heart was beating so fast, out of anger, and she felt her mouth move uncontrollably, letting out a horrible scream. "Harry!"

Voldemort eyed Darcy down and laughed, his laugh just as evil and snake-like as his voice. She felt Ron beside her, wrapping his arms around Darcy and holding her close as she held back tears. She had to be strong... Don't go down without a fight... Voldemort was enjoying her misery and horror. Darcy wanted to stop crying and shaking, not wanting to give Voldemort power over her, but she found she could not stop. Even Ron's comforting hold could not calm her. She knew Ron was holding her to help himself, as well. She could not imagine how Ron and Hermione were feeling. Did they have the same feeling of dread wash over them? Were their hearts all the way down in their stomachs? By the rapid heartbeat in Ron's chest, Darcy knew that she was not the only one.

It was silent as everyone began to mourn Harry's valiant death. Everyone fighting against Voldemort knew that Harry had not died for himself. Everyone that knew Harry knew he was a selfless person to begin with. One of the most selfless people. And Darcy knew that especially. And by the way Ron had his arm around her tightly, Darcy was sure Ron knew it very well, too.

"You knew this would come, Darcy Potter," hissed Voldemort, looking her directly in her eyes. "You should have known, ignorant girl, that this was to happen sooner or later."

Darcy huddled by Ron and his family, afraid of what was going to come next. She automatically assumed she was about to die... Would it really be that bad? Maybe Voldemort would kill her instantly and without pain. What did she have to live for anymore without Harry? All her life, she had lived for Harry. And then, as she thought that, Ron's arms weren't as comforting as they had been only seconds before. She took a step back towards the remaining soldiers, removing herself from the clan of redheads and she felt a hand on the small of her back, keeping her upright. One that made her relax and one that gave her courage. Lupin had always given her courage. Just a simple touch made electricity flow through her veins.

"Such a shame that Dumbledore did not tell you of his glorious plans for the Potter siblings," sighed Voldemort happily, his crooked and yellowing teeth mocking Darcy. "Of course, he was only interested in the famous Potter. You meant nothing to him. Just as everyone else in the world."

Darcy was quiet. She knew that Voldemort was wrong. Dumbledore cared about her... It had nothing to do with fame. She and Dumbledore never had the connection he and Harry had, and that didn't bother her. Of course he cared about her, though. Darcy thought for a moment, but could not bring herself to believe it. If Dumbledore truly cared, he would have told her all the things he told Harry... She refused to speak, not wanting to answer to Voldemort anymore.

"No..." Voldemort chuckled and shook his head with a small smile. "You took an interest in another. Severus. And you should not have, Darcy. You made a foolish mistake. You see - Severus was on my side. And he always was. He was never faithful to Dumbledore, Hogwarts... or even you. And now he's dead."

At his mention of Snape and the hand on her back grabbing her shoulder, Darcy suddenly found the courage to speak out. She was angry with Voldemort's lies about Harry, but after bringing up Snape, she was tired of it all. Out of nowhere, she gritted her teeth and shouted, "Snape was on our side! Ever since you killed my mum!" Lupin looked down at Darcy with a proud smile, squeezing her shoulder.

Voldemort scoffed as if Darcy was speaking nonsense. "You poor child. Nothing left for you here." He thought for a moment, glancing at Bellatrix, who was standing at his side. And then continued, "You are talented for your age. You have fought bravely and survived - unlike your counterpart. Come here, Darcy." He held his hands out, but Darcy was rooted to the spot, her face red and her eyebrows furrowed. "We can give you everything you want; you just have to come fight for me, as Severus did."

Darcy shook her head. "You killed him," she spat, her voice trembling. "I saw it. I watched it. Snape died while I was right beside him. He died while loyal to me and all at Hogwarts, and I know that. I don't wish to suffer that same fate." Holding her chin up in the air, Darcy tried so incredibly hard to be brave and not to break down. Lupin held her close, staring Voldemort down. He knew Darcy would never agree. He knew how heartbroken she was over Snape and Harry and because of that, she would never consider joining the team that killed him, no matter what they offered her.

Voldemort gave Darcy a forced smile, most likely irritated that Darcy did not decide to join him right away. "You heard what I said about those who resist - I'm afraid your fate has already been decided. But what will people remember you for, Potter? Being the sister of The Boy Who Lived?"

"People will remember me," Darcy uttered. It was deadly silent. No one dared to speak out. But that was okay with Darcy. This was now her battle. She was fighting the battle for those that couldn't - Fred, Tonks, Harry, Snape. "I promise you that." And that was the complete truth. Darcy was done lying. She knew that if she were to drop dead, Charlie would remember her as a best friend; Lupin would remember her as a lover; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would remember her as their second daughter; Ron and Hermione would remember her as their best friends and older sister... People would remember her...

Darcy closed her eyes as Voldemort lifted his wand eagerly, pointing it at her. This was it. He was about to kill her. Darcy knew she didn't stand a chance. She knew that she was going to die. It was all about how she died, what she had done. And she couldn't think of a better way to die. Defending herself, refusing to join the bad guys. Standing up to the bad guys. That was honorable, right?

"My Lord?"

With her eyes still shut, Darcy was surprised that she was still alive and standing in front of Hogwarts. A deep and broken voice had spoken out from the opposite side, one that was strangely familiar. Opening up her eyes, her jaw dropped when she saw Voldemort turn angrily towards Lucius Malfoy, whose head was bowed, his eyes swollen and bloodshot. He looked even worse than he did when Darcy was being tortured at his home. Narcissa touched her husband's arm gently, silently begging him to stop. "What?" Voldemort snapped, still pointing his wand at Darcy.

"I - I just, My Lord - perhaps we - you know... Maybe we should not kill her just yet?" Lucius suggested weakly and Darcy looked at the older man, pursing her lips. "After all, My Lord, she is very powerful - I've seen it - her. And I was, well, thinking... maybe you could just curse her and have her work - for - you?" Then he added quickly, "My Lord?"

Voldemort stared at Lucius. "That is wise, Lucius," Voldemort agreed quietly, but did not lower his wand. "But can't I have a little fun first?"

"I - I'm sorry, My Lord?"

"_Crucio_!"

Darcy held her breath as the pain hit her like a train. She fell to the ground and let out a massive scream, making nearly everyone on her side cringe. Voldemort cackled as she rolled around, gasped for breath, and trembled on the bloody concrete. He was truly enjoying himself, torturing Darcy and killing her slowly. Her body was bleeding, but Lupin did not know from where, and he fell to his knees and shouted her name over and over, trying to help her. He slapped her face with ease, trying to force her to keep her eyes open. When Darcy finally shut her eyes slowly, the veins popping from her neck and temple, her body slowly ceasing to move, Lupin stood up and pulled his wand out, firing a curse at the Death Eaters and Voldemort, causing a riot to break out.

The pain momentarily left Darcy's body still as screams and shouts echoed around her. She was too weak to move, close to death, and completely drained of energy and life. Something was happening, but she did not know what, for she could hardly see out of her half opened eyes. Many avoided stepping on her, running around her and jumping over her body, leaving her there. But two people had the decency to grab Darcy's arms, pulling her away from the messy battle and just inside the castle.

"Remus?" Darcy breathed, closing her eyes and licking her lips. "Remus?"

"No," replied a voice. Looking up to her left, Darcy tried hard to open her eyes all the way, attempting to see who had dragged her out of the way. The outline of a skinny body appeared before her. She recognized the bruised and swollen face instantly.

"Neville," she smiled. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Neville was beaming, looking directly at the other person who was holding onto Darcy tightly. Darcy, with help from Neville, rolled over and when she looked up into the bright green eyes, all life was restored to her body. She felt numb again, but it was a good kind of numb. The kind of numbing that made her forget about all the physical and mental pain. The kind of numbing that was good for her and helped her. The kind of numbing that was caused by her brother, sitting beside her, his wand out and his face bleeding.

"Hi, Darcy," Harry whispered, grabbing onto her hand and dodging a spell shot at him. "I'll be back to check on you, okay? But for now -" Another spell hit the wall right above Harry's head. "Find Malfoy!"

Darcy was so bewildered by Harry's appearance. Was she seeing straight? Was she dead? Was she in Heaven? Why was Harry so calm about this? She could hardly catch her couldn't even speak. Why was she supposed to find Malfoy? Out of all people? That was Harry's first command? To find Draco Malfoy? "Malfoy?" repeated Darcy, lightheaded and dizzy. She couldn't say anything else. Harry just nodded, running away quickly to rejoin the battle. He let Voldemort catch sight of him and then retreated deeper into Hogwarts, the evil wizard chasing after him and screaming, completely forgetting about Darcy. "Neville!" She grabbed onto his sleeve and pulled him close.

"What?"

"The snake," she instructed him gently, slowly building her strength and trying to sit up. "You need to kill the snake. Someone does. Kill it."

"The snake?"

"The snake."

"Voldemort's snake?"

"Voldemort's snake."

"You'll be okay?"

Darcy nodded slowly, still trying to take in the fact that Harry was alive and still fighting. "I think -" she hesitated and started to laugh. "I think I'll be okay."

Neville stared at Darcy like she was crazy for laughing. She was exhausted and confused and wasn't entirely sure if she could stand up or not, but so what? Her brother was alive. Voldemort hadn't killed him, that was for sure. The people loyal to Hogwarts had a reason to fight again. Darcy had a reason to fight again. She had a reason to live again. And Darcy wasn't about to let her brother down, so she stood up with great difficulty, holding onto Neville's hand and smiling at him as she regained feeling in her legs. Laughing made her stomach hurt, but she couldn't stop.

"Are you sure you're okay, Darcy?" Neville gave her a weird smile, afraid that Darcy was honestly going crazy.

"I - I'm just -" She laughed all she could laugh until a spell was shot at her and she had to take cover, pulling Neville along with her. Her heart was racing and pumping blood back to her limbs again. The pain had gone away - she was okay. "I'm so happy, Neville."

Neville was impressed, surprised, and proud all at one time. He nodded. "Me too."

"Snake," Darcy reminded Neville, letting go of his hand and backing away slowly.

"Malfoy," Neville answered with a wink and they went their opposite ways.


	37. Over

**I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a long time. But I'll explain if you want to know what's going on in my life right now because it's actually pretty exciting for me!**

**Six months ago after my high school graduation, my parents separated and my dad moved out to California to get a job. Five and a half months ago, I decided to move out here and live with my dad. We are living up 7400 feet in the mountains, working at camp, 40 minutes away from Squaw Valley, and about an hour and a half away from Fresno, so we're pretty secluded. But it's beautiful up here, despite the fact that I don't get cell service or good wifi. But I have met the most amazing guy, Daniel, who I've been dating for about five months now. I'm extremely happy, away from my old life in good ol' Pennsylvania, and I'm loving my job as a front desk attendant in a National Park. **

**So that's what has been going on for me, and I'd love to hear about what's going on with you! I hope that my subscribers or whatever they're called are still interested in this story and I am wicked excited to finish it and be able to announce the ending of Darcy Potter stories whether you like it or not! Even if you never leave reviews or anything, I would love to hear from at least one person telling me they are still reading this story because I would love to know that people are still dedicated to this piece of work I have now been working on for about three or four years now.**

**Thank you very much for reading and staying loyal. May I present, Chapter 37 of Come Home.**

**OVER.**

Lupin was amazed to say the least. Every doubt he ever had about the four suddenly vanished. Every time he scolded Darcy about not being able to do everything on her own – he regretted ever saying anything of the sort to her. Because after seeing Harry leap from Hagrid's limp arms, Lupin realized that the four friends knew exactly what they were getting into. They may not have had the best, well thought out plans – in fact, they basically made up everything as they went along – but they were so incredibly close to beating Voldemort when the Order couldn't accomplish that after how many years. Lupin knew that they were the only people who were capable of defeating the Dark Lord for good.

While part of Lupin wanted desperately to follow Darcy to wherever she was going, he knew that she would have wanted him to stay and fight and give her more time to complete her task. No one knew exactly what was going to happen – every person fighting against the Death Eaters placed their trust into Harry and Darcy blindly and that weight on the sibling's shoulders was massive, but they knew what had to be done. They knew people were counting on them. Harry and Darcy were not about to let the entire school down, not after all that the students and teachers had done for them.

Throwing his arms up wildly, Lupin deflected a spell sent his way by a cloaked Death Eater. The force sent him to the ground and knocked the wind out of him and he stayed still for a few seconds. It had to be so late – or so early in the morning. He was fatigued and in pain, but yet the battle raged on and he could not quit now. He blinked and looked up to see someone offering their hand. Lupin saw the long red hair and thought for a moment that it was Darcy, but after blinking a few more times and having his vision restored to normal, he noticed it was Ginny helping him to his feet, protecting them from numerous spells being casted towards them.

"We can hold off the front!" shouted Mr. Weasley from behind Lupin. His heart was pounding as he turned to the older man who was dueling a Death Eater, winning with ease. "There's plenty of us, Remus!"

Lupin stuttered, not sure how to respond or what he meant, but Ginny grinned at him. "Go find Darcy," said Ginny. "Go!"

"I – too many people have died – I shouldn't –"

"Yes, and you'll be next if you continue to make excuses!" Mr. Weasley laughed proudly, knocking a few enemies unconscious, clearly delirious. "There are plenty of us out here!"

Staring at the Weasley family with an incredulous look, Lupin thought back to all the times they had scolded him about being with Darcy. He thought back to when Mrs. Weasley had caught them together for the first time, or when Mr. Weasley had lectured him, and then remembered Mrs. Weasley lecturing him the past year about breaking her heart. And Lupin had never felt so fondly for the Weasley family before. They were looking after him, not just the other kids. He was part of the family too and they worried and cared about him just as much as they cared about Darcy and Harry. So Lupin nodded, looking rather wild. His hair was a mess, his eyes bloodshot and bags forming underneath. His breathing was ragged and uneven and he wheezed, but still, he ran into the castle, looking for Darcy one last time.

* * *

><p>Darcy felt as if all life had been restored to her. She felt like she had been born again. The mental and physical pain was suddenly not the only thing on her mind anymore. She had been sure that Harry was dead – she had already been thinking of ways she was going to cope without her baby brother around. The soreness of her tired muscles and the aching of the curse cast on her lingered; Darcy didn't know if she was going to be able to run for much longer, but adrenaline pumped energy into her legs, causing her to keep moving.<p>

She remembered seeing Malfoy briefly in the courtyard, and wondered where he had gotten to in the whole mess of a battle. Darcy was done questioning Harry's task; there was a reason she was supposed to find Malfoy and she was going to find him if it killed her. After all, had Lucius actually tried to keep her from being killed? After all that he had done to her… Lucius looked tired of fighting, that much she knew. But was it possible that he had heard Darcy saved Malfoy from the burning Room of Requirement? Was that why? But who would have told him? Certainly not Draco… his pride was too much to admit to being saved by a Potter – the _girl_ Potter nonetheless.

Turning into the Great Hall, Darcy scanned the room, trying to avoid looking at the bodies of Fred and Tonks on the ground. She knew that the Great Hall was the last place she should have looked because of who and what was in there. Darcy knew there was no stopping now. They were so close to victory she could taste it. They were so close to being able to live in peace, without Voldemort following their every move, lusting for their death.

Malfoy was nowhere to be found in the Great Hall, so Darcy decided to move on and search Hogwarts one floor at a time. The common rooms and dorms for all Houses were empty, blown open by dangerous spells. The classrooms were deserted, littered with pages from books and broken glass from the windows. The Room of Requirement was burned and destroyed; Darcy didn't even try to enter that room, afraid of the raging fire that may or may not have been put out.

Battle-worn and exhausted, Darcy hiked up to the Astronomy Tower, the last place she could think of to look. Climbing the noisy stairs was awful and terribly hard, but she continued to the top, sure that Malfoy was there – there was nowhere else he could be, unless he had played the coward and run away from the battle.

The night breeze felt good on her burned and broken skin and Darcy nearly jumped when she saw someone standing at the far end of the Tower, leaning against the guard rail. She hesitated, watching Malfoy stare down at the war still raging below, his head in his hands, his wand in his pocket.

"Draco," Darcy called quietly and she held her hands up in surrender when he turned around quickly, pointing his wand at her. Malfoy held it for a moment, pointing it directly at her heart before lowering his hand to his side, still clenching his wand very tightly. "Draco – I –" She didn't know what to say to him. His eyes were puffy and watery and his bottom lip was quivering so slightly. The two just stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. "Harry – he's alive, you know."

"Alive?" Malfoy rasped.

"Yes," nodded Darcy. "And he told me to come find you."

"Doubt it," Malfoy laughed nervously, trying to compose himself. "What would he want me for? To kill me? Or try to?"

Darcy grew impatient, despite the fact she had only been up in the Tower for a few minutes. She looked around the room and then at Malfoy again. "Draco – your – your father just saved my life outside a few minutes ago. And you – back at your own home! The scars on my shoulder… you didn't tell them."

Malfoy was silent, unbelieving that his father would actually attempt to save Darcy Potter. "Why did you pull me out of the Room of Requirement?"

She paused, not knowing how to answer his question. "I wasn't going to let you die, Draco. Not like that. Not then."

"I was about to kill you," he replied.

Darcy swallowed hard. "I know," she told him. "But I don't think you would have really done it."

Another moment of silence between the two made the tension thick.

"You need to get out of here," continued Darcy. "You need to find your mother and father and go, Draco. I'm sure that's why Harry wanted me to find you because – well, you don't belong here, fighting against us." She took a few steps forward towards Malfoy, trying to get him to put his wand away, out of sight. "Come with me, Draco, and let's find your mother and father."

Darcy held out her hand, offering companionship, but he just stared at her. She pleaded with her eyes, begging silently, and finally, Malfoy nodded and took just a tiny step towards her. Malfoy refused to take her hand, but instead, led her down the staircase, back towards the battle slowly dying down. They ran as fast as they could down the many flights of moving stairs, trying to avoid being dropped off at the wrong place. Unfortunately, as Malfoy stepped down four stairs, the stairs began to rumble and move and Darcy sighed, but jumped on the stairs with him, following Malfoy wherever the stairs were taking them.

Holding onto the staircase with one arm, Malfoy looked back at Darcy. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.

Shrugging, Darcy responded. "Maybe I'm nice."

"You've never been nice in the years I've known you."

"I know who the real bad guy is now."

Before Malfoy had a chance to answer her, there was a blast and the stairs stopped moving. Darcy tumbled down the stairs, hardly able to hear due to the loud bang. She felt her wand slip from her pocket and she tried to catch it, but it fell through her fingers and she watched it drop to the ground. Malfoy looked down, noticing the stairs weren't connected to a continuing staircase. "Darcy!" he shouted, but Darcy couldn't hear him and her vision was starting to fade. "Damn…"

Leaping down to the bottom of the staircase, Malfoy grabbed Darcy's small arm, whimpering and trying to not drop her. He spotted her wand and pointed his at it, but she began to slip from his grip and her legs dangled from the staircase. Malfoy heard a cackle from his left and turned quickly, throwing up a basic defensive spell to block the curse that had been shot at Darcy.

Straightening his arm and flicking his wrist with grace, Malfoy screamed, "_Stupefy_!" He watched the Death Eater fly backwards out a stained glass window and he put his wand away, trying to pull the half conscious Darcy up onto the stairs again. Grunting and moaning, Malfoy heaved her up onto the first five steps and he stood watch, making sure no one saw how helpless they were at the moment. He heard another spell whiz by his ear and he spot a spell at a Death Eater who looked on greedily. The Death Eater reflected his spell and shot Malfoy's wand far behind him. He braced himself for a painful death and then –

"Draco!"

Malfoy looked down and started breathing heavily. His mother and father were standing below, wondering whose feet were dangling off the stairs. "Mother!" Malfoy looked back at Darcy, knowing he could not leave her after she had saved his life multiple times. She was blinking for longer and longer each time. "Mother, please! I – I need – we need – help us…"

"Help who, Draco? Who is up there with you?" asked Narcissa and Malfoy looked at Darcy again, helping her to sit up so his parents could see her. And when he lifted her up, he saw the back of her head drenched in blood. Darcy had hit her head falling down the stairs and Malfoy felt sick to his stomach. He laid her back down and she moaned softly. Narcissa gasped and looked at her husband.

Lucius stared on at his son, who was breathing heavily, desperate for help. "Help, please…" Malfoy begged. "Please, mother."

* * *

><p>Lupin was searching Hogwarts, fighting off Death Eaters and anyone who stood in his way. It had been a while since he had seen Darcy and he was starting to get worried. He needed to find her before something really bad happened, which could have been any moment with all the curses and jinxes being casted about, ricocheting off the walls and stairs and floor.<p>

"Remus! Remus!"

Lupin spun on his heels and saw Harry sprinting towards him, covered in sweat and dirt. "Harry!"

"_Where's my sister_?" Harry bellowed, nearly tackling Lupin to the ground. Lupin noticed he harshness in Harry's tone as he repeated his question over and over again, expecting Lupin to know the answer. "Where's my sister, Remus? Where is she?"

"I – I don't know! I'm looking for her!"

"WHERE'S MY SISTER?"

"I don't know, Harry! Please, just listen – we can find her together!"

Harry's nostrils were flared and he looked like some kind of wild animal. But he accepted Lupin's offer and they headed off towards the stairwell, where they could get up high and have a better view point. But before they even reached the first staircase, they saw three white blonde heads walking towards them, supported a limp Darcy Potter. Harry stopped in his tracks and his blood boiled, thinking of how Malfoy had stabbed her in the back after saving his life in the Room of Requirement. He knew Lupin felt the same way, his heart shattering into pieces.

"_Ma lfoy_!" Harry growled, his voice echoing in the castle.

Instantly, Malfoy dropped his wand and stood his ground, making Harry unsure of what was about to come. Lucius's face was hard and unfeeling, while his wife stood with a strong hand around Darcy's bicep, keeping her up. Lucius seemed to hold Darcy with such disgust and disgrace, but more than likely did it out of either his son or wife's pleading. "You're going to kill me without even asking what happened, Potter?" Malfoy spat and Harry lowered his wand, his hand shaking.

Lupin clenched his jaw, staring at Darcy. He thought about just going over and taking her from the Malfoy's, but he stood still, afraid that one of them would kill him or Darcy on the spot. "Go ahead, Draco. We're all dying to hear." Lupin's voice was venom spitting from his mouth.

"She found me, Potter. Wasn't that the plan?" Malfoy asked and Harry nodded very slowly. "She fell down the stairs." He pointed up to half a staircase that had been blown away by a spell. Malfoy reached in his pocket, which sketched Harry out, but Malfoy pulled out a mahogany looking wand that looked suspiciously like Darcy's.

"You piece of –" Harry began, but shut his mouth quickly as Malfoy dropped her wand on the ground and kicked it over to the two men standing before him.

"Take her," Malfoy hissed. "Fix her up quickly."

Lucius Malfoy, without hesitation, nearly threw Darcy at Harry and Lupin, who caught her with ease and noticed her bloody head. Their hearts were racing with fear and anticipation, wondering what to do. Lupin eyed Malfoy and he crossed his arms.

"A life for a life."

* * *

><p>"<em>You are like your father, Darcy Potter. I believe that some are fooled by your appearance. They expect you to be your mother in your personality, but alas, you are not. You are the same brilliant troublemaker your father was. Although, I believe Harry has received most of his mother's genes. He is kind and compassionate – you are, as well, but without you, Harry would not be as brave as he is."<em>

"_Excuse me?"_

"_He adores you. Worships you. He loves you. You care for him, but not in a motherly way. I wouldn't expect you to be a mother figure to him; you are Harry are only a few years apart. I think it is best you act as a – concerned older sister. As long as you pave a good path for yourself, Harry will follow."_

"_I try to 'pave myself a good path.' My temper just flares sometimes and I can't –"_

"_I know you can't help it sometimes. I know, Darcy. You are doing the best you can."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Harry, I'm not as strong as you think. I'm scared. I'm terrified. I just never wanted you to know."<em>

"_I know this might not mean a lot to you, but I'm always here, Darcy."_

"_Why wouldn't that mean a lot to me?"_

"_I – I – sometimes you just don't make it clear that…"_

"_I'm sorry, Harry. I do love you and I care about you and you're the most important thing to me."_

"_Before Lupin?" _

"_Harry, I'm serious. He means a lot to me, but you're my brother. And we've got to stick together. We have Sirius and each other. That's not a lot of family."_

"_Darcy!"_

"_What?"_

"_DARCY!"_

Darcy woke with a start, dizzy from sitting up so fast. She touched the back of her head, remembering her terrible fall, but as she looked at her fingers, realized there was no blood. Looking around quickly, she noticed she was in the empty Great Hall, with Neville shaking her violently, back and forth. Neville saw her eyes open and dropped his arms to his sides, clenching his fists.

"Darcy!"

"What, Neville?" she replied frantically. "What's wrong? Where's Harry? Where's Malfoy?" She looked over her shoulder to find no one beside her. "Where's Remus?"

"The snake, Darcy! The snake!"

"Yes! Yes! What about the snake?"

"It's dead!"

Darcy's jaw dropped and she noticed the shiny red hilt of the sword sitting on the floor behind Neville, covered in Nagini's blood. He helped Darcy to her feet and held her still as she wobbled, regaining her balance. She looked at Neville, beaten half to death, but smiling proudly as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Neville…" Darcy couldn't believe that Neville had killed the snake – Voldemort was the only thing left to kill and it made her heart beat with excitement and anxiety. She held his shoulders. "Where's Harry?"

"Last I saw him, he was out in the courtyard," Neville breathed deeply and couldn't quite wipe the grin from his face. "They're all coming this way, Darcy! Be ready!"

She patted her pants pockets, beginning to panic. Darcy couldn't find her wand anywhere. "My wand, Neville – my wand –"

Out of Neville's back pocket in his torn up jeans, he procured a wand that Darcy was ecstatic to see. She snatched it from his hand and examined it quickly, just to make sure there was no damage to it. Thankfully, her wand was still intact and she gripped it tightly, readying herself for the battle coming her way. And all at once, people flooded in, and Neville jumped to Darcy's side, willing to duel with her against any enemies, still worried for her condition.

Darcy was amazed at the people who had entered the Great Hall. Centaurs were fighting with them, house elves had volunteered to help, led by none other than Kreacher, who promised vengeance for his long forgotten master. And for the first time, the winner of this war was blatantly obvious – the Death Eaters were slowly succumbing to the Hogwarts army. Voldemort was nowhere to be found through the mass of people, and neither was Harry.

There was a shout of arrogance and Darcy was immediately drawn to it, casting a Shield Charm to block a curse headed towards her and Neville. Neville shot back with ease and confidence and knocked the Death Eater to the ground. Voldemort had been the screamer, dueling Kingsley, Slughorn, and McGonagall, who were clearly having no trouble dodging his many spells and curses.

"Ginny!"

At the sound of Neville's concern, Darcy turned around, too distracted to cast any spells. Neville took care of her, protecting her and fighting back. Bellatrix had blasted a Killing Curse so close to Ginny that it had to have singed her hair. Ginny looked surprised and terrified, but her mother pushed her out of the way and held her wand up at Bellatrix, who was eager to duel her newest victim. Darcy grinned, proud of Mrs. Weasley for being so brave and nearly cheered when she heard her snarl, "Not my daughter, you bitch!"

Darcy ran up to Mrs. Weasley, leaving Neville a few feet behind her, ready to help Mrs. Weasley. Darcy was shoved out of the way and stumbled, watching as the two women attempted to kill each other. They were crazed and Bellatrix's smile was beginning to falter, realizing that Mrs. Weasley was much more talented than she had imagined.

There was a fading laugh, one that showed more fear than anything, and Darcy watched as the curse flowed through Mrs. Weasley's arm to her wand and directly at Bellatrix's chest. The witch stood still for a moment, holding her hand to her heart before falling to her knees and then the ground, refusing to move. Darcy knew that something big was about to happen – she spun on her heels quickly, looking at Voldemort, who had seen the entire duel and let out a scream that almost made Darcy's ears bleed. He raised his wand at Mrs. Weasley and opened his mouth to cast a curse, but a Shield Charm blocked it from reaching the older woman and Darcy saw the source of the spell –

"_Harry!_" Darcy ran up towards him, prepared to fight Voldemort alongside her brother, but Harry shook his head.

"It's me, Darcy," he told her, everyone listening to him intently. "It's always been me. Let me do this alone."

"Harry –"

"I can do this!" Harry shouted. "I know I can do this!"

A year ago, Darcy would have argued and told him he wasn't able to do it alone. She would have screamed and probably hurled a few spells at him, waiting for him to retaliate. But now, as she recalled every single thing Harry had done just in one night, Darcy knew that Harry was going to be okay. She did not doubt his ability or skill. She knew that Harry was strong and dedicated and good at heart, something that Voldemort was not. Harry was holding his wand with such a confident stance that Darcy knew who the winner was going to be, but her heart still was racing with fear.

Voldemort and Harry circled each other and Darcy grabbed onto Neville's arm, squeezing it tightly, glad there was someone beside her. Her eyes scanned the Great Hall for Lupin, but she could not find him and she began to worry that something terrible had happened to him.

"What will stop you from dying now when I strike?" Voldemort hissed, sending shivers down everyone's spine.

"A weapon more powerful than you have ever known," Harry retorted with a smirk, still ready to cast a spell at Voldemort at any given moment.

"You believe you know more magic than I, Harry Potter? Than _Dumbledore_?" Voldemort let out a terrifying laugh. "Dumbledore was weak and afraid to dare. _I killed Albus Dumbledore_!"

Darcy closed her eyes, remembering very clearly the night that she had watched Dumbledore die. And she knew that it was not Voldemort that killed Dumbledore. She knew it very well, but Voldemort did not know they knew the whole truth. Voldemort himself did not know the whole truth. He had been deceived and lied to by someone he trusted, just as Harry and Darcy believed they had been deceived.

"You didn't kill him," Harry told him right away. "Dumbledore had chosen his death – several months in advance with someone you believed to be your servant."

Voldemort scoffed. "What childish dream is this?"

"Severus Snape was never yours," Harry called out, letting everyone know the truth. "Snape was Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. I was wrong to believe Snape did not care for my sister. I was wrong to believe he was evil. He was on our side – on Dumbledore's side – on Darcy's side. Snape's Patronus was a doe and he led us to the sword of Gryffindor – he helped us!"

Wherever Lupin was, Darcy hoped he could hear the conversation going on. She hoped that Lupin could find out the truth from Harry instead of her. Darcy had tears in her eyes, so proud of Harry and everything he had achieved.

"The Elder Wand was never Snape's! He never killed Dumbledore with that intent! Dumbledore had already planned it with him! The wand –" As Harry spoke, Darcy saw Voldemort's eyes reduce to nothing but slits. Neville had grabbed her hand, his hand shaking. "Is Draco Malfoy's. And I disarmed Draco Malfoy. That wand belongs to me, Tom Riddle."

Hearing this built up a rage inside of Voldemort and everyone knew what was coming. He flicked his wrist and he screamed, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

Harry responded quicker than normal. "_Expelliarmus!_"

When the spells met, the impact shook the Great Hall and made the loudest blast Darcy had ever heard. She let go of Neville, plugging her ears, wanting nothing more than to run up to Harry and help him. This was it – only one of them was going to make it out alive – a 50/50 chance that Harry was going to survive and Darcy didn't think she could live if the outcome of this duel was Voldemort's reign.

But the Elder Wand had flown high up in the air, surprising Voldemort and Darcy had never seen a look of terror on the ugly man's face. Harry caught the wand with ease and breathed out heavily, watching as Voldemort's eyes rolled back into his head and he fell to the ground so gracefully that it almost seemed unreal.

And it was quiet.

And it was over.


	38. Far From Over

**Hi readers, I'm so, so sorry for the delay between chapter, BUT! The past few months have been very exciting and very hectic! My fiance and I moved from California back to Pennsylvania after discovering that I was pregnant and we've been trying to find decent jobs and settle ourselves in. It's been a hell of a year, but I'm glad to be back with my little brother (who actually just left to visit California for Christmas)! As of right now, I'm 16 weeks and three days pregnant and I'm very, very nervous! So while I'm working part time and going to doctors appointments and driving around town chauffeuring my brother around and catching up on Supernatural, I've decided that I want to go back to writing because I miss it. And I would be so upset to have come so far in my Darcy Potter stories and not finish them. So I'm very determined. **

**I've been super, super excited to begin writing this story after the battle because now, it's up to me. I get to decide where the story goes and I PROMISE, it won't be taking after the nineteen years later chapter (which, as much as I was happy for the kids, I wished could have been a little different). So here's a new chapter for anyone else who actually is still interested and tell your friends to read the stories because I'd love some feedback. I've recently reread all of my stories and HOT DAMN I actually can see how far my writing has gone. I was young when I wrote my first story and now, at 20 years old, I plan on developing my writing even further. **

**Love y'all and enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The sun was rising and Darcy was alive to see it. Silence had fallen over the entire castle as everyone who was still breathing took a moment to reflect and be thankful. The Death Eaters were retreating quickly at the sight of Voldemort lying still on the floor, cold and lifeless. But the rebels, the students, the teachers, they were all hugging each other and kissing and talking wildly about their experiences, still in shock. But Darcy was quiet, her eyes fixed upon the back of Harry's head, who was still looking at the corpse on the ground before him.<p>

She began to get choked up and tears rushed to her eyes as she finally realized that it was done and over and she was safe for the moment and Harry was alive. Her thoughts were not of Snape, Fred, Tonks, or even Lupin, but just Harry. How proud she was of him! How brave he was to keep going, despite knowing how the outcome was most likely to be. And when he turned around finally, Darcy saw the look on his face - relief. Pure relief. His grin was slowly growing and he saw his sister crying out of happiness for the first time in such a long time and he felt good about it.

Darcy covered her mouth and couldn't suppress a small sob. But before she fell to her knees, Harry had sprinted over to her, beating Lupin, and wrapped his arms around her so tightly that his dislocated shoulder popped right back into place. Neither said a word, but held each other, happy they made it out of the mess alive and together. Nothing else mattered to Darcy at that moment except for Harry, who had dropped his wand at her feet, wanting to touch her feet, to feel its warmth and know for certain it was Darcy and not a dream or a hallucination he was hugging.

Harry knew he would not have been able to do it without Darcy at his side. Her words of wisdom and encouragement led hime very step of the way. He constantly analyzed all of her thoughts carefully, knowing that she had some idea of what they were attempting to accomplish. And those hours of picking her brain had led them to this - standing by the cold body of Voldemort, while they lived. They had survived and completed their goal of keeping each other alive. And Harry was thankful.

Darcy felt Harry begin to whimper and she toughened up, stroking his hair and letting him sob into her shirt. She dared not let go, terrified that something was going to happen if she was not by his side constantly, watching him. She knew he was crying for several reasons, because she wanted to cry for the same ones. She knew he was happy, relieved, sad due to casualties, and the demise of the place he had once called home, but most importantly, he was scared and shaken up.

And thinking about that made Darcy cry harder, as she envisioned Snape in her arms, dying while she did nothing but try to stop his bleeding out. Tonks and her hair, which was always brown when she was upset, lying dead on the Great Hall floor, and how Teddy would never really know his mother because she had the courage to help fight alongside Darcy. She saw Fred, his blank smile stuck to his face, the way he would have wanted to go, but it all too soon... All the deaths she had seen were enough to make anyone break, but Darcy tried to remain strong, knowing that the battle was over, and there would be no more casualties. And she couldn't help but to smile at how honorable these casualties were. Those were her friends and Harry's and they did not turn their backs on the siblings, no matter what was published about them in the newspapers or taught in class. And that's when Darcy knew that Hogwarts was her true home. She realized people cared about her fate and her brother's, which was more important to her.

"_Oh_," she moaned, sudden pain shooting up her spine.

Harry pulled away from his sister and looked her in the face. And it was then he saw how truly awful she looked. Her eyes were wide and crazed, her pupils dilated. Her hair was matted with blood that he wasn't quite sure was her's and her arms, hands to her elbows, were also bloody with what he assumed to be enemy blood. While she didn't fight the biggest battle, she had fought, she had definitely fought. He looked over his shoulder, trying to find the red hair and bushy brown hair of his friends, and he caught Hermione's eyes quickly, as she was staring right at them. At the sight of Darcy and her wild smile, Hermione motioned for Harry to come to her and she grabbed Ron's hand and tugged on Lupin's sleeve, pulling them inside the castle.

The five of them wandered the hallways, which were unrecognizable the way they were blown to pieces, but Hermione was murmuring numbers under her breath, almost as if she were counting her steps. She still knew her way around. Lupin watched her carefully, listening to her counting to calm himself down. He walked right behind her, afraid to look at Darcy behind him.

_Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two..._

Where was Hermione leading them? Away from the crowd, of course, but why? Why couldn't they just go home? Lupin sighed. Where would they go? The Burrow? To put the burden of hurting children on Mrs. Weasley's shoulders? He had no home to go to and he knew Darcy didn't have one, either. Hogwarts was the only place they had.

_Forty-four, forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven..._

And then, after Lupin had stopped listening to Hermione count, they stopped in front of a door, half hanging off the hinges. The small, glass window that sat in the middle of the door was gone and Hermione stood on her tip-toes, looking through the hole to make sure no one was in the room. Once they entered the room, Lupin realized that it was his old room, his old classroom. He walked in first, slightly pushing Hermione and Ron out of the way. He took a good look around, at all the upside tables and the shredded curtains blowing in the breeze.

He felt Hermione shove him out of the way and he sighed, following her into his old office. There, Harry shut the door behind them and laid Darcy on the ground who was still smiling, gritting her teeth, and looking at the ceiling, as if something was there. She paid no attention to the people around her, with Harry as the only exception. She knew he was there, but did not say anything to him. She was whispering something, but no one could hear her. Darcy's face was pallid and her chest heaved. She looked like an animal.

Harry looked up at Lupin with tears in his eyes. "Fix her! Fix her!"

Lupin cocked an eyebrow. "I - I -" He didn't know what to say. "Fix her how, Harry? She's in shock! Only time will fix that."

"Look at her!" Harry cried, touching her hand. She responded with a laugh. "She wasn't like this twenty minutes ago!"

"Voldemort's dead now, Harry," Lupin replied. "Voldemort was just distracting her. All that adrenaline - now that there's nothing else, I - I can't fix her. She needs rest, a decent bed, a hot meal or two or a thousand. Magic can't fix this."

"What do we do?" Ron asked, crossing his arms. Harry was looking down at Darcy, who was shaking, but becoming a little more aware. "Why aren't we all like this?"

"Ron," Hermione hissed at him, giving his arm a small punch. "You know what happened to her."

"Take her to St. Mungo's!" Ron argued. "They'll be able to do something there!"

"Do you have any idea how long it'll take?" Lupin shouted, rubbing his temples. "That's the first place everyone's going to go and - and - her condition can't be treated by magic." He felt like no matter how many times he said it, they wouldn't understand. "I can't go anywhere with her in this condition right now, okay? Apparating could seriously hurt her."

Harry crouched down next to Darcy and noticed that she was calming down a bit. Her eyes seemed to return to normal, but her skin was clammy, and her heart rate was quickening. "You can't do anything?" he pleaded. "I need her to be better, Remus, please!"

"She'll be okay," Lupin promised them, his voice wavering. "I'm sure of it. She's a strong girl. She'll be okay." He looked around; all three kids were looking down at Darcy, as if she were about to attack. But Lupin had seen this before, in the first battle. How many more were there right now? Sitting in the Great Hall, shuddering? How many had watched best friends die before their eyes? Who was caring for those people? There just weren't enough staff to care for them all. "You - you guys should go. I'll watch her."

"N - not yet," Harry sighed. He stood and ran a hand through his hair. "You guys need to know what happened tonight."

"I think we all know what happened, Harry," Hermione said quietly.

"No, no, you don't," answered Harry. "Everything."

And while Darcy lie on the ground, as Harry recounted the story of the Pensieve, and the forest, and his wonderful meeting with Dumbledore, the rest of his friends sat and listened patiently, their eyes wide with amazement. Darcy already knew half the story and hardly listened, until Harry recalled the part with the forest, and he mentioned seeing their parents and Sirius and she began to cry through gritted teeth. It made her jealous, severely jealous, to know that Harry had been able to communicate with their family and she would never have that chance.

Harry felt immediately guilty for having said his story in front of Darcy. After all, she hadn't even been the topic of conversation. It was almost like she didn't exist to those ghosts. He wanted to say that she was all they talked about and how their mother raved about how beautiful she was and how their father spoke of what a wonderful woman she was. He wanted to say that even Sirius had something kind to say, but there hadn't been any talk of her.

When he finished his magnificent story, Lupin cleared his throat, nodding at Darcy, who was still crying silently. Harry could feel his stomach churning, but he left with Ron and Hermione, leaving his sister alone with Lupin. When she heard the door shut quietly, she rolled her head to look directly at Lupin.

"It hurts," she whispered. "Everything hurts, Remus."

Lupin wished he could do something. But there was absolutely nothing he could do to help her. He was no nurse or doctor and it was much too risky to try to cure her wounds. He was afraid his spells would hurt her, but what else was there to do? Lupin touched her cheek and her eyes closed as she nuzzled into his warm palm. And then, he laid down on the hard ground beside Darcy and pulled her to him. It comforted him to have her in his arms and she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, which sounded slightly erratic, but she expected nothing less after such a terrible battle.

And it was quick; Lupin looked away from her for a split second when all of a sudden she burst into tears again, this time very loudly. He tried to shush her, stroke her stained hair, kiss her temple, but nothing calmed her down, and he thought to himself that maybe Darcy would be like this the rest of his life. He hoped not - not for his sake (or so he wanted to believe), but for her sake as well.

He remembered a girl he used to know after the first war and how much it had affected her. She watched her husband-to-be die right in front of her and for the rest of her life (or at least for the rest of the time he knew her), she constantly woke up with nightmares and would burst out crying for no apparent reason during the day. She was sickly looking and needed someone by her side all the time. He wasn't sure what had become of her or if she was even still alive, but he knew that he didn't want _his_ girl to be like that.

If Lupin knew Darcy, he knew she wouldn't be able to be happy again without her independence. But a part of him hoped she would be okay with Lupin next to her for the rest of her life. He knew it would be hard work to take care of her, but he was willing to do it. But imagining Darcy like that girl... It broke his heart to think of Darcy as a helpless adult, finally safe for the first time in years and not being able to do anything with herself. And what was going to happen to them both? With his condition permanent, and her's stuck for the time being, how could he take care of two people? He could hardly take care of himself. As much as he wanted to take care of Darcy, he wasn't sure that he would do a great job. But _God_ he wanted to.

"Remus," she whispered and he hummed, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Do you think my parents loved me?"

"Why would you ask that?" Lupin asked. "You know that they did."

"But if they were alive now," she continued, and Lupin noticed how strained her voice was, like it hurt to talk. "Do you think they'd still love me? Or do you think Harry would be the only child?"

"I - I don't understand," Lupin said. "Why wouldn't they love you, Darcy? You took care of their Harry - after all these years, look at who Harry runs to when he's in need. Don't you see how much he looks up to you? I'm not your father, but I'm proud of you and I love you. You're just such a good person, Darcy, that I wonder how anybody couldn't love you."

"Harry's accomplishments far outweigh my own," Darcy cried.

"You and Harry are not the same. Why do you think that? Just because you both have the last name doesn't mean you have to live up to the same expectations. If it means anything, I think you're pretty great."

"You're not too bad yourself," she laughed, which soon turned into a coughing fit. She draped an arm around Lupin's waist.

Everything in Darcy's body hurt. Her back hurt, probably from lying on the cold, hard ground. Her stomach hurt and was churning and she could have probably thrown up, but she kept it down. Everything was in so much pain, but with Lupin there, lying with her, knowing that she wasn't going to be blown up any waking moment, it was perfect. And with every sharp pain, Lupin's warm touch made it better. She could have stayed there forever with him, in the current state they both were in.

Lupin sighed. There was so much he had to tell her, but he wasn't sure it was the right time. But when would it ever be the right time? To tell her that it was his fault that Tonks was dead? To tell her that there was no more competition because he killed the other woman. If Tonks hadn't been so upbeat before her death, Lupin thought it would have been worse. If she had blamed him for everything right before she closed her eyes, Lupin would have been more heartbroken and probably lying dead next to her right now.

"Harry portrayed you as very brave," Lupin said. "In his story. Trying to save Snape - that was - that was very selfless of you."

"After all the times he helped me, Remus," she smiled weakly. "It was only right."

Lupin was quiet. No, it definitely wasn't time yet.


End file.
